


False Promises

by freifraufischer



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Anal, BDSM, Bondage, Double Penetration, Dubious Consent, F/F, Oral Sex, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-05-04 18:59:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 32,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5344997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freifraufischer/pseuds/freifraufischer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romantic Snow Queen. When a fairy comes to bandit Snow promising to help her find where she belongs the last thing she expected was to be lead back to her childhood home and the Evil Queen. With the possibility of something she'd never even considered she starts to explore what loving the Queen might really mean without knowing that the entire thing had been a trap.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place three years into the Evil Queen's reign, during the Bandit Snow period, but she has not yet met David. The Major Character Death warning is better safe than sorry, it's not quite death exactly and is a major character in the show but not in this story.

**Prologue:**

It was the fourth year of Snow White's exile and her life before seemed like some sort of dream, or lie. Lie was probably a better description. A world of dresses and feather beds and servants. Now her hands were rough in a way that no ladies would be. Her skin tanned so not quite as white as Snow anymore. The winter was coming on and the first frost was laying across the ground as she stepped into the darkness and looked up at the sky. There was a single star there and she did as she had done before.

She closed her eyes and made a wish.

"You needn't repeat yourself Snow White," a voice came from behind her.

She jumped and turned to see a little woman in a purple dress smiling at her.

"Who are you?"

"Why a fairy of course. Come to grant your wish and help you find the place you belong."

Snow twisted her fingers together nervously, "You can do that."

The little fairy smiled magnanimously. "Of course I can. Pixie dust never lies. There is a place and a person in this world for everyone. A soulmate. Would you like to find them?"

Snow nodded, "Yes very much."

The little fairy looked serious for a moment, "You must understand though, Snow White, that sometimes our destinies are not what we expect."

Snow shrugged, "Nothing much has been what I expected out of life."

"Well then, let us find a new path for you."

She sprinkled the dust on Snow and a purple path of magic light formed through the woods. Snow smiled and nodded to the fairy, and began running along it. It took much of the night, and she started to feel like she recognized the landscape until she reached the edge of the woods and saw where the dust lead. It was leading her back to her childhood home.

"This can't be right." She looked in distress at the fairy. "The Evil Queen, she'll kill me."

The fairy did look concerned, "I don't know what the path means, child, but your soulmate is at the end of that path. It is up to you if you choose to follow."

Snow considered turning back, but the cold of the night and a longing for a possibility of a better life were tempting. The person she belonged with was in that castle, and maybe she could find them without running into Regina.

She steeled herself, "Hope involves risks. If that's where my soulmate is, I'll find them." She turned to the fairy, "You should stay back. The Queen is dangerous and may sense your magic. I don't want you to get hurt when you've helped me so much."

The fairy nodded and stayed behind in the woods as the bandit Snow White headed on alone towards the castle where her future lay waiting.

She didn't see behind her as the fairy disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and was replaced by a grinning woman with crazy eyes.

"I've missed you too, Snow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow crept along the castle hallways. Breaking into the castle was easy for someone who had grown up there, knowing every corner and passage. The first time she had hidden in the shadows as a pair of Black Knights past she thought they'd see the light of the purple pixie dust she was following, but they didn't appear to notice. Perhaps the spell only revealed itself to the person searching for their soulmate.

She felt her heart beating quickly, not unexpectedly given where she was, but also at the prospect of finding who she was meant to be with. She'd had dreams of romance and love for ... well... since she was ten years old. The dust lead to the castle library where she'd spent so much time as a teenager reading about the tales of romance and adventure and part of her appreciated the irony of that being the place she'd find it.

She crept inside. Like much of the castle Regina had redecorated, darkening the stone work, that was once gleaming white, but here she'd brought in a large wooden desk and map table. Snow ran her fingers along it, seeing the kingdom laid out with small wooden figures denoting she knew from her own experience the wealth of each town from the year's harvest. Her father had always trusted the village headman but she remembered one of the few times she'd seen Regina try to argue that the figures were patently nonsense.

She hadn't been at dinner that night. Or breakfast the next day. Only appearing again her face thick with makeup. She hadn't wanted to understand it at the time. And she didn't like to think about it now. Turning away from the table she looked for where the magic trail led and moved through the stacks until she heard someone and slid back into the shadows.

The Queen passed without seeing her, or seeming to, carrying a book she had retrieved from the maze of bookshelves, and bathed in purple magic.

Snow had to cover her mouth with her hands to avoid making a gasping sound and shaking her head. That was... not possible... her mind told her immediately. The Evil Queen had been trying to kill her for three years now, and while she certainly remembered a young girl's crush on her father's wife that was naiveté crushed by the realization that Regina hated her so.

She crept along the shadows to catch a glimpse of Regina. She had laid the book open on the big table with the map, checking some figures within. "If you are here to kill me Snow, you really should just get on with it."

Snow stepped out of the shadows, "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. More than once. But that's not why I'm here."

Regina looked over at her and tilted her head, "A shame. You've made yourself quite the fighter. You should at least have the nobility of that death."

Regina's hand flew out and Snow's body flew back against a stone wall. Leather straps binding her arms to her sides. A wicked grin crossed the Queen's face and her eyes lit with the fire of her insanity. "Did you really think you could destroy me with fairy magic? You practically reek of it."

She reached up and stroked Snow's face with the back of two fingers. "A... a fairy promised me that she could help me find my soulmate. The dust trail lead..." Snow looked down into Regina's eyes in fear, desperation, and confusion. "It led to you."

Regina blinked and a moment of sadness took over the crazed anger. She turned away and with a wave of her hand Snow dropped to the ground the restraints gone.

"Regina..."

"It is late. Sleep the night in your old room, but be gone by morning lest I remember how much I want your head."

"Regina..."

"Fairies are cruel creatures Snow. You've never understood that and call this my small mercy for you. Don't test it."

Regina kept her face turned away from Snow when she really wanted to see the Queen's eyes. Still she inhaled and nodded, "Thank you." She slinked away, to cowardly to push, or aware of just how close she was to death. She found her old rooms pristine as maintained for her to come back at any moment. As she was. The only change was a portrait of her father which had been taken from the wall, but a small one of her mother remained near her bed and she touched the canvas for a moment before looking over at the feather bed.

She shouldn't stay she knew, but the prospect of a night in a real bed with how cold it was outside was too much and she crawled under the sheets. It was deep into the night when she heard the scream and woke with a start. Given this castle and Regina's darkness she knew she likely shouldn't investigate but the second scream was clearly Regina and Snow found herself slipping into her boots and running towards the voice.

Just as when she was a girl the Queen's bedchambers were just down the hall from hers and she slipped inside to see that Regina wasn't being threatened by an intruder but was turning violently in her bed and crying out in fear.

She should leave she knew. This intimate moment wasn't for her. But she bit her lip and stepped forward and sat gently on the bed. Regina's hair was loose and she looked, in that moment, like the young queen who first married her father. She stroked her hair for a moment and made a claiming shushing noise but whatever monster haunted monster's dreams was still at work. Snow wasn't sure what to do but instinctively she wrapped her arms around her. "Shhhhh... it's alright Regina. You're safe."

Regina woke and was still for a moment before curling more. She was crying and Snow brushed a tear from her cheek, "It's alright Regina. It was just a dream."

The Queen's eyes opened and looked right into Snow's a mix of anger and confusion and sadness. And something crazy occurred to Snow. She leaned in just another few inches and kissed Regina tentatively, not on the forehead or the cheek as she might have once, but softly on the lips. The Queen hesitated for a moment but equally tentatively kissed her back before breaking the contact.

Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said. Speech in fact would have broken the spell over both of them. Snow curled up next to Regina and wrapped her arms around her and the troubled queen knew that she would protect her the rest of the night.

Regina slept soundly for the rest of the night in the arms of her enemy. In the morning Snow was gone and the queen readied herself to face the world. But when she arrived in the dining hall for her morning meal she found Snow sitting at the table waiting for her.

"I told you not to be here in the morning."

Snow shrugged. "You can kill me if you want. But this is where I'm supposed to be. Pixie dust doesn't lie."

Regina tilted her head, "But all magic comes with a price."

"Mine I'm sure will be steep."

Regina looked at her for a long moment, "Indeed it will." Still she sat down in her chair at the head of the table and made no effort to have Snow removed.


	2. Chapter 2

There were fewer people around the Winter Palace then when she had lived here, but there were a few familiar faces. Servants and groomsman. She stayed out of the audience chambers and away from public view but a castle runs on gossip and the return of the princess was quite a powerful piece of gossip.

Regina had said nothing at breakfast and disappeared to state business after the meal. Snow couldn't remember her father doing as much of this himself but she supposed that if Regina were anywhere near as violent within the castle walls as she was outside them it would be hard to keep good managers and administrators.

Snow settled herself in the library in the afternoon and read until candles were required. Allowing herself ever so briefly to forget the sense of unease about where she was and what had happened the night before. She was in the Evil Queen's castle and she'd slept the night in the queen's bed. She'd kissed Regina. And despite what rumors there might be about the darkness of the queen it had been Snow and not Regina who had initiated the kiss.

It had been insanity, she knew, but it felt in that moment that if she didn't try she'd never know. Never know if the pixie dust was right. If some cruel twist of fate had driven her into Regina's path when she was a child and forced her to watch her soulmate waste away into darkness without ever knowing. It wasn't that she wasn't aware of the danger she was in the longer she stayed. It terrified her every time she heard the noise of a castle guardsman clanking around in his armor. But it seemed more like if she ran now she wasn't just running for her life but away from her one chance to live.

She felt the eyes on her from behind.

"If you insist on staying at least bathe tonight Snow, you reek of forest and sweet and I don't want to know when the last time you ran a brush through your hair was."

"Rather hard to get my forty brushes in when I'm running from my life from a murderous queen."

Regina grunted. "You may stay tonight but know that if you are here in the morning I may kill you."

Snow smiled, "Well, I could quip about how charming you are Regina, but you stink and I might kill you tomorrow is actually a step up."

Regina grunted, rolled her eyes and left.

The bath at least was glorious. She hadn't one in actual hot water since the morning she left to walk with the Queen's huntsman and for a moment she thought even if Regina did kill her in the morning it was worth it.

When she finally left the tub after the water had gone tepid she found a young servant girl laying out a night dress on her bed.

"I'm sorry...?" Snow asked, unsure if she was interrupting or if the servant was interrupting her. And the thought itself made her smile remembering what a little brat she'd been as a child with so many expectations of her rights as a princess.

"Her Majesty ordered that I should attend to you and brush out your hair."

Snow touched her hair, she'd taken a brush to it after Regina. She smiled, "Her Majesty says to tell you that if you won't let me do it she'll burn the hair off your head and you can start from scratch. I wouldn't test her. I think she was joking but it's impossible to tell with the Queen."

"I'm sure Regina would love to set my head on fire so let's not give her the excuse," Snow said surprisingly amused. The servant girl winced. "Is something wrong?"

"I've just never heard anyone call her by her name like that."

Snow smiled, "I knew Regina long before she was a terrifying sorceress or a queen. What's your name?"

The girl was surprised as she began running the brush through Snow's hair, "Marissa. I'm the Queen's lady's maid but she doesn't have much need of me. She dresses herself and the valet normally attends her hair.

"Her father?"

She shrugged.

"Do you like serving in the castle?"

She hesitated. "I ... it's a better place than I was."

That was not an answer she expected. Especially not when it sounded like the girl was afraid of Regina.

The girl shrugged, "My family was going loose our farm, and my parents sold me to an innkeeper so that they could keep my younger siblings. He was... not a good man. The Queen visited the town and ... I don't know how she knew but the next thing I knew he was dead on the floor and me and three other girls were working at the castle."

"And you aren't afraid?"

She shrugged, "Of course I am. I've seen what Her Majesty does. But I've seen what men do and at least she's doesn't pretend she is anything but a monster."

Snow was quiet. "She used to... pretend a lot."

Marissa shrugged, "I think this is as best I can do without stripping the oil from your hair, m'lady. We'll try again tomorrow perhaps."

"If the queen doesn't kill me tomorrow."

The serving girl smiled, "That's how everyone in the castle thinks, m'lady. You get used to it."

Snow wasn't sure if she was comforted or horrified at the casual way this girl spoke about death. How could you ever be comfortable with the idea that you might be killed at any time. She'd certainly had the feeling of death at her heels but living with it?

But she remembered the kiss the night before and the judgment rang false and she was ashamed. Still she dressed in the night dress laid out for her and crawled under the sheets wondering just how foolish she was or if she could ever be like that girl, comfortable with the idea that Regina might do as she said and perhaps kill her tomorrow.

She was almost asleep when she felt someone crawl into bed with her, the body warmth pleasant even under the thick blankets in the cold night. She knew who it was from the perfume. Regina wrapped an arm around her and curled up tight holding her through the night without saying a word.

When Snow woke the next morning the Queen was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

The Queen was in a foul mood the next day. A storm of angry words at the incompetence of her guard captain and a group of thieves that had slipped away after robbing a royal treasure carriage. Snow privately thanked whatever gods there were that she was not Robin Hood. Though he'd survived this long without ending up at the end of a noose. Perhaps he'd survive the wrath of the Evil Queen too.

Snow folded her arms and watched the scene, unsure if she was amused at the bluster or disgusted by it. "You are here today, Snow. Gambled that I wouldn't kill you?"

Snow shrugged, "I sense a pattern. Perhaps tomorrow."

"Perhaps."

She gestured for Snow to follow her and began walking through the palace. Snow knew enough about royal courts to know that Regina's choice not to speak was probably as much about the ears that might hear them as anything else. They entered a room and Regina's hand went up and the door closed behind Snow by itself. A sense of danger rushed through her and exited her.

Regina rounded on her and came right up to her so that they were standing inches from each other. "I do not believe in fairy dust prophecies," Regina said firmly. "But I'll grant you there is a magnetic draw between us."

Regina touched her chin and a part of Snow had to force herself not to shiver.

"I will not force myself on you." Regina trailed her finger along Snow's jaw. "Whatever kind of monster I am I am not that. Have you ever made love before Snow?"

Regina's eyes locked on Snow's, and she shook her head. She had been a princess pure and courting for marriage when she had been driven from the castle, and being on the run was a lowly time except perhaps for cold nights last winter with Red. But she wasn't sure if those counted the way Regina meant.

A half smile that might have really been a sneer crossed her face. "You have touched yourself down there?" She nodded a bit.

"I ... " Snow found herself suddenly embarrassed. She wasn't at all experienced sexually and these were suddenly very personal questions.

"Answer girl. If you've been experienced with touching yourself you know what you like and it makes things simpler."

Snow bit her lower lip, "Joanna always told me not ... she caught me once and slapped my hand."

Regina scuffed. "Pointless purity obsession that left you unprepared for the world."

The Queen paced and turned to look at her again after a moment. "We have ended up in each other's beds each of the last two nights."

"I noticed," Snow said quietly.

"You kissed me."

It was almost an accusation and snow shrank a little.

"I do not do well with slowly slowly and I will not court you. Come to my bed chamber tonight or do not. But know that if you do that it was your choice and I did nothing to force you."

"And tomorrow you may kill me." Snow joked to ease her own nervousness at the idea of something overtly sexual.

"I may kill you today if you annoy me. It has nothing to do with this arrangement. If you are not there by three marks past the candle I will know you have backed out."

Regina turned with a great sweep of her skirts and left Snow standing there wondering about the blunt offer of the Queen's bed. There were rumors in the kingdom of course that Regina took lovers, but Snow didn't believe any of them. They were usually told by people who wouldn't know either way seeking to hurt the queen's reputation. Not that one needed to make up misdeeds given her murderous reputation.

Still it was a thing to think about that day. It was one thing to steal a kiss that she'd been thinking about if she was honest since she was a teenager. It was another to go to her bedchamber. She resolved not to do it. And then to do it. And again changed her mind what seemed like a dozen times that afternoon. She watched Regina deal with affairs of state but thought not of the kingdom but of the queen.

She knocked on the door softly at three marks past the evening candle, a major part of her mind screaming that she should run away, but the Queen's throaty voice came from inside. "Enter."

Regina was looking in her mirror with her back to Snow. "As you are painfully inexperienced we will have to start by teaching you strip and lay on the bed."

Regina was in a lovely brocaded house coat over something that showed off her cleavage and her figure to perfection. Snow self consciously removed her clothing laying them to the side and got on the bed laying on her back. Regina sat down next to her, and actually smiled, a gesture that could mean many things but Snow chose to view as reassuring. "You may want to grasp the headboard to steady yourself. If you are going to have sex you should understand what it feels like."

Regina trailed a finger along Snow's stomach. She had lost weight on the run and become more muscular. Nothing like a soft princess' body. She had been embarrassed about it but Regina smiled as she traced along her muscles.

"It doesn't take much to make a woman climax, my dear. Just a bit of knowledge and a willingness to work at it." She drew too fingers along her clit and Snow actually jumped a bit. Regina smiled wider, "So tense. Good. A perfect condition to teach you about orgasm."

Regina trailed her fingers along the nub of her clit, stroking softly. "You do not need to be penetrated to orgasm, men fail to understand that and so often fail to even notice when a woman has not." With her free hand Regina's fingers danced across one of Snow's bare breasts. The work up was slow at first, her breath catching in her throat momentarily but this was meticulous as Regina made sure she was ready.

Her fingers began to move faster and provide a bit more pressure, and Snow could feel herself getting wetter. She half closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing but soon even that was impossible as she was having the most powerful wave of pleasure across her body.

"Ahhhchch ..."

The yelp of pain was a surprise even to snow in the middle of first orgasm. Regina had roughly pinched her nipple and was now looking down at her with a smile. Her hand didn't stop moving on her clit but did slow.

"What the hell was that Regina."

"A lesson my dear. Just a little pain makes the pleasure experience of the orgasm more powerful."

Snow meant to argue in that moment but what came out of her mouth was something incoherent. Regina's fingers were working again, and the orgasm was building quicker this time. But the pinch that came with it wasn't a nipple but her clit itself and the sharp pain actually made her jump.

"Shhhhh my dear, try to keep still. Tonight is about teaching your body how this feels." Regina grinned widely and her hand never stopped moving. Snow lost track of the number of orgasms, feeling like each was more powerful than the last but also her body going limp after each one as energy of the experience was being drawn out of her. And with each time she climaxed Regina gave her body a reminder of another kind, a pinch, a sharp slap.

Just as her body lay limp and exhausted Regina kissed her on the lips and trailed her kisses down to her ear. "Now you are ready for me, my dear. As a reward for being such a beautiful creature tonight."

She was so wet that the two fingers pushed into her with no trouble at all and her eyes flew open. Regina laughed, "I wanted to make sure you remembered that I was the first person who had you dear. The first always."

Snow shifted her body but the fingers drove deeper on two pumps. Regina watched her for a minute before hooking her fingers upward and pulling up almost momentarily lifting her pelvis off the bed. Snow grunted a little and Regina drove her fingers to the knuckle. "Now go to bed my little one. You pleased me tonight but who knows, tomorrow you may be different."

There was a cloud of purple smoke and Regina was gone. For a moment Snow thought she'd poofed away but a moment later she registered her own surroundings. Her own room.

So that was what it was to be dismissed for the evening from the Queen's presence.

Except her body still felt like her. The aches and the longing.

The need to be touched like that again.


	4. Chapter 4

Snow had started to get used to the rhythm of the castle. When her father was living he would stay up late into the night and sleep in. Regina was a morning person and she did much of the day to day running of the kingdom in her study in the hours after dawn.

She was drawn to speak to her today, mostly because in the evenings they seemed to be both prone to other things.

"I ... wanted to thank you Regina. I never have felt like that before."

Regina shifted paper from the black wicker baskets that the correspondence was organized in before looking up. "Not doubting the fairy magic yet?"

"Oh... I'm doubting it all the time. Especially when you keep promising to kill me."

Regina scrunched her face a little, "Not today, perhaps tomorrow."

Snow tilted her head, "Is that going to be a thing?"

"Until you stop making me want to kill you yes."

Snow swallowed, the banter reminding her just how dangerous this dalliance was. "You have a busy day ahead of you. The seamstresses will be by to take your measurements and arrange for proper clothing if you will be staying in the castle. So if you want to avoid corsets sneak out and back to your bandit life."

Snow smiled, "I think I can take a corset again as long as it's not one of the torture devices you wear."

Regina smiled, "There are advantages to torture devices."

The sparkle in her eye made Snow shiver and the shiver made the grin on the Queen's face grow wider.

"After you are done with them you are to go with the castle steward and pick appropriate rooms for your companion."

"My what?"

Regina set aside the set of papers she was working with. "Take it from me, being alone in this castle is will drive one mad. You need someone to speak to, confide in, and so I am arranging a companion for you."

Snow's eyes went wide and she worried immediately... "I saw a large party of Black Knights leaving the castle grounds this morning..."

"I'm not capturing your werewolf friend dear. Though technically she has committed treason and should hang for it. Caging a wild thing like that is a sin." Regina said icily.

"More than murder?" Snow ventured carefully, still unsure how far her she could push things.

The look in the Queen's eyes told her not much further. She nodded, "May I be dismissed, Your Majesty?"

"Go now, Snow."

The day was busy. Proper dress fitting took hours and as the women worked the Queen had come to check. Something about Snow on the dress maker's stool and Regina looking up at her sent a shiver down her spine and a memory of a distant day struck her. If it struck Regina the Queen said nothing except to order a few changes to the fitting before leaving.

Part of Snow wondered if she was going to be dressed in some ... mini version of Regina's ridiculous wardrobe but instead the fabrics and dresses the women brought out were soft. More womanly than those she wore as a girl. Less virginal. But still they were more Princess Snow than the Queen's Tramp. She'd heard a house servant call her that that morning before breakfast and she had to wonder to herself if that was what the others thought but did not say.

Which made Regina's comment about a companion make sense.

She picked out rooms not far from hers that had once been Princess Abigail's when she fostered at the castle for a summer. Her eye now accustomed to running for royals she realized they were probably the most secure rooms in the castle short of the dungeons and she wondered back to her youth and the pretty blond girl and wondered if there was some more potentially deadly politics to that summer she had a playmate.

She made sure the linens were fresh and that the suit was brightened as much as could be in the dark and somber mood of the Winter Palace.

That evening Regina didn't call for her to her bed, and she did not find her way there on her own, it was the first night since she arrived in the castle and she found herself missing the companionship. It reminded her of how insane and dangerous this game she was playing was and she thought of the fairy that had led her to this unexpected romance.

Would she have even thought of Regina in those terms without the pixie dust? Would she have dared to think that Regina might stand in a room with her without trying to kill her much less... what they'd done without the fairy?

Those thoughts drifted away only when sleep came to her and the sound of the castle's bustle in the morning told her that she had slept in. Dressing as quickly as she could... still not in the dresses made measured for the other day as proper fitting and tailoring took time... only to discover that the Queen was gone. Without Regina there everyone in the castle seemed to move easier without the potential threat of death hanging over them.

"Where is the Queen?" She finally asked.

"No one dares to ask such a thing of Her Majesty," the older woman who managed the castle said with a raised eyebrow. She reminded Snow of Granny but wasn't someone who had been there when she was a girl. Or if she was she didn't know her. "Most of the army is out of barracks so presumably she is off expanding her realms."

Snow raised an eyebrow, "I ... didn't... does she do that often?"

The older woman smiled, "You know we always imagined you were some sort of rebel leader who knew everything that went on in the kingdom."

Snow laughed, "Most of the time I didn't know more than what was going on with the knights on my trail."

She shrugged nodded for Snow to follow her. They went as far as the queen's study and Snow felt a little like she was intruding on Regina's space except servant's moved in and out of such spaces without ever inhabiting them. The giant map table was bigger than she remembered from her youth and getting a look at it she understood why. "Regina has doubled the size of the kingdom since my father died?"

"The Great and Terrible Evil Queen does not spend all of her time chasing the Noble Bandit Princess."

Snow nodded, "I can see. It's ... probably a good thing I came home. I was heading for the Northern Kingdoms where my mother was from."

"I'd have said you'd have gotten caught but none of us could figure out how you stayed alive as long as you did. The Black Knights quickly learned that it was better not to be chasing you no matter the rewards promised for your capture because you would always get away and the price of failing Her Majesty is steep."

Snow looked up from the map table. "So why do you work for her. I don't remember you from ... from when my father was alive."

The servant shrugged, "I was here. Just a lowly maid you didn't notice. Her Majesty rewards loyalty and competence. When Johanna asked to be released from service she recommended me and the Queen gave me a chance. The position has helped my girls immensely."

Snow wanted to ask about her children but the name reminded her, "Johanna is... is she alive?"

Snow hated to admit it but she assumed that she had been one of Regina's victims when she wasn't in the castle and though she missed her dearly she was rather glad not to have to explain how she'd ended up in the Queen's bed.

"She lives in a town about a half day's ride from here. She asked the Queen for her leave after she charged you with treason."

"And Regina let her go?"

The woman shrugged, "There were things in this castle you never saw as a girl, Your Highness. If you want to live through whatever games you are playing with her and she is playing with you it would be good for you to learn to read them better." She took her leave from Snow and Snow bit her lip, realizing she had been gently chastised. She already knew she'd been blind and a bit selfish when she had last lived in the castle but she did wonder about Johanna and why Regina had allowed anyone so close to Snow to defy her and live.

Regina was still not back by that evening but to everyone's surprise a young woman with brown hair wearing an elegant yellow dress appeared in a puff of purple smoke in the as Snow was reading a book in front of a fire. Snow got up quickly but the girl about her age looked scared and her eyes darted around. Snow held up her hands, "You're ... alright." She was going to say safe but that was very much the wrong word to choose for someone who had obviously been transported there by the magic of the Evil Queen. "My name is Snow. Did the Queen send you here?"

The young woman straightened herself and tried to look dignified except she was shaking like a leaf in the wind. Snow took her hand. "Yes... I ... the my father's lands were about to be overrun by ogres. We've been at war with them for years. She offered to defeat them and save us if he pledged fidelity to her and I agreed to come to her court as assurance. I... don't think he thought she meant that moment." She stopped speaking for a moment and looked around, "I don't think I thought she meant that moment either."

Snow nodded, "Probably something you only think about if you have magic. We were... we were expecting you let me take you to your rooms. I'm sorry, what can I call you?"

Realizing that she was at least not in immediate danger she nodded, "I'm sorry you said your name and I never told you mine. Belle. My name is Belle."

"Well it is a pleasure to meet you Belle. Welcome to the Winter Palace. It's a little... dark and brooding but it has its charms. I might ... avoid referring to her as the Evil Queen though."

She nodded, "We were about to contact the Dark One for help when she arrived with her army. Will... will she keep her word to my father?"

"I'm sure she will." Snow hated herself a little for the lie and hoped she was right. Especially has she had the sick feeling the only reason Belle's lands were being saved from the ogres at this moment was because Regina didn't want her to be lonely.


	5. Chapter 5

Regina didn't return to the castle for ten days and privately Snow was a little relieved because it gave Belle a chance to get used to living in a strange place before she had to get used to living in the strange sense of danger that came from the mercurial monarch. But the longer she was away the longer Snow worried because she knew that Regina was fighting ogres and as powerful as she was that seemed like something you should worry about.

If you are far too emotionally involved with your insane tormentor who the fairies had revealed to be your soulmate.

Belle had turned out to be a sweet girl who liked to hear Snow's stories of being a bandit and whose eyes had lit up upon seeing the castle library. Snow had to admit that she liked her and the choice had been good, though she still hadn't had the heart to tell Belle that she was here because of her.

She'd have to do it sometime.

Regina returned to the castle in the evening, riding astride the big black war charger that she used these days instead of Rocinante. The knights looked a bit more the worse for wear but Regina looked resplendent and a bit ridiculous in her queenly armor. Snow went down to greet her.

"The battle went well."

"The battle is won." Regina said, taking in Snow in one of her new dresses. She was still a little unsure of how much more revealing it was in the bust line but other than that they were normal compared to what Regina wore. "And the Duke's daughter?"

"Settling. Scared." Snow said carefully.

Regina nodded. "She should be. It is a good thing her self-important jackass of a father sold her to me rather than someone else to save his skin."

"Yes because you've already got a young woman warming your bed." Snow said with a raised eyebrow.

Regina raised one of her own in return. "Brave."

"It is, you've told me, one of my better qualities."

"Foolishness is not however."

Snow shrugged.

"I have energy to work off tonight." Regina looked directly into her eyes. The meaning was clear. Something about that made Snow excited. She could already feel it and couldn't repress a shiver that traveled through her and made Regina smile a not entirely reassuring smile. "Be in my bedchamber in half an hour. And be ready for me. I am in no mood to play games with your tonight, Snow." She leaned in and whispered in her ear.

Snow felt a bit brave and replied, "But games are fun Regina."

The Queen's eyes had fire in them.

"I never said I wasn't going to have fun."

There was something about the way Regina was tonight that told Snow to run, but she'd been running from Regina so long that she was tired of it. And intrigued. And though she didn't want to admit it even to herself she could feel her own arousal.

She said goodnight to Belle and made it seem as if she was going to her own rooms before she slipped along to the Queen's. She undressed herself and was waiting naked sitting on the bed. The anticipation already turning her on and the cold air making her skin sensitive and her nipples hard.

Regina arrived after she'd been waiting for a bit and Snow wondered if that was on purpose. She was no longer wearing the ridiculous war armor which ironically was more revealing than what she was wearing now. "Good, we don't have to play strip tease."

Regina's eyes traveled over Snow's body and Snow found herself more pleased than self conscious. She still had the calluses and muscles of her life on the run and no longer the softness of a princess but Regina seemed to like it that way.

"I think it's time we teach you about penetration since we so delightfully discovered the other night that you hadn't ever had that."

Regina trailed a finger between Snow's breasts and kissed her on the lips. "Not that you are a virgin after the other night... but there are still some niceties to claim." The Queen took her hand and lay her out on the bed. Despite the words and the clearly aggressive energy she was actually rather gentle as she lay her down and sat beside her.

A puff of her hand revealed a thing that looked like a male member, covered in something soft and smooth. "We'll start out slow." Even Snow recognized that was not too big and that she could easily take it once prepared.

She spread her legs a bit and nodded. Regina's fingers moved over the dildo and shimmered. "Magical lubrication is less messy." She moved Snow's legs apart more and smiled. "My Snow, you appear to have enjoyed our previous encounter."

She ran two fingers along what Snow knew was her already wet sex before positioning the head against her lips. "I want you to breath as normally as you can and try to push it out. It will go in easier that way." The head of the dildo went in easily, not being much bigger than the two fingers Regina had used the last time. Still Snow inhaled deeply and grabbed hold of the bed with her hands.

Regina was very careful but also very slow as she worked the thing in and there was a pleasant fullness to the experience that Snow hadn't expected.

"Good. Now we will see where your limits are." The queen nodded. She withdrew the dildo almost all the way except leaving the head in. Snow didn't need to see the magic to know what happened next as the thing gained a bit of girth. Still not too big but no longer just the size of two fingers. "Just the same way you did it the first time, my dear."

Snow squirmed a bit and Regina frowned, "Be still Snow."

She ran a thumb along her clit as if to emphasize that. Or rather to insure it didn't happen and Regina rolled her eyes , waving her free hand and suddenly Snow's arms were pulled above her head and secured to the head of the bed with some leather cuffs and chains. Snow had a moment of panic, pulling at the restraints but Regina leaned down and kissed her stomach. "It's alright Snow. They'll just help you stay still and let me do my work."

Snow forced herself to calm down but she couldn't avoid the alarm bells going off in the far back of her mind that the restraints had always been in Regina's plan. The now larger dildo went in just a bit deeper and stretched her just a bit more but Regina seemed pleased.

"You are doing well, my little princess. So beautiful."

Snow wasn't sure she wanted to know what it looked like, her hands tied to the bed while there was something sticking out of her.

The cycle repeated as Regina pulled the thing out. It grew magically both in length and girth. Now the size of a man's penis. Snow remembered the first time she'd seen one, she'd sneaked into the guard hall to watch them fight and been caught when she'd screamed seeing one undressed...

What came now wasn't a scream but a grunt as Regina slowly worked the thing in, "You are doing such a good job."

And snow had to admit it felt good. Regina kept rubbing her clit as she did it and there was a pleasant feeling each time the thing filled her and was driven in deeper. The pressure Regina used was firm and unrelenting.

"That feels nice."

Regina smiled at her, "I know my dear."

Except she didn't stop there. Again the thing grew and now even just the head in was stretching Snow. Regina's smile grew big at the grunt that came as she pushed, still relentlessly, stretching the passage. "Hmmmm that seems like perhaps we're getting there."

She stroked Snow's face gently. "Just once more little one. You look so beautiful like this."

Snow wasn't sure what to think of that... naked and tie down by her wrists. She let out a cry of discomfort as the thing, bigger again still, was pushed in this time. Regina smiled and reassured her, "Just keep trying to push it out."

But by the time it was buried in her Snow wasn't sure she could even push the thing out at all. Regina left the thing in, filling her up and lay down next to her stroking her face with the back of two of her fingers.

"Such a brave little princess. So beautiful." She wiped away a stray tear. And she did look beautiful to the Queen. Tied down and filled up with an overly large phallus. Regina was deeply pleased. Everything was going according to plan.


	6. Chapter 6

Snow woke after Regina again, though not because the queen let her sleep in. She hadn't rested entirely well the night before, not tied to the bed like that, with that thing in her. She woke as Regina began to pull the thing out and the sudden absence made her acutely aware of how quickly she'd gotten used to the large thing in her.

And as she often was in the morning she was dismissed. Regina determined when she showed too much to her to remind her that she hated her. Except that was working less and less despite the daily reminders that she may kill her tomorrow.

Snow was moving a little awkwardly but dressed and went down to breakfast without drawing too much attention to it. Belle was already there, a book next to her plate.

"I see you are a morning person. The Queen will be pleased."

Belle shrugged, "If she takes notice of me. I still haven't seen her since she returned from ..." Saving her people. But Snow didn't add it either. "Everyone seems tense now that she's back."

"The Queen... I'm not the best person to describe her... but she can be dangerous."

"Living with a predator makes people on edge." The voice rang out and both women looked at the Queen, resplendent in a dress that cost more than many villages made in a year. "You are settling, Belle?"

Belle looked surprised that she knew her name, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. You are a hostage to your father's good behavior. If you escape I will lay waste to his lands. If he misbehaves I will kill you. Just so we are clear about what the terms are." She looked at Belle intensely and Snow again felt guilty because she knew that Belle wasn't here for some diplomatic guarantee of her father.

"I... understand."

Regina seemed satisfied. "Good. Now I expect my little rebel princess to show you around. Perhaps take you riding. The castle is not a cage to either of you." The smirk on Regina's face was something only Snow understood. Given last night riding wouldn't be her first choice. "In fact I insist. That is unless Snow has forgotten how to ride."

Belle shifted, "I'm not much the rider. But getting out might be nice."

Regina smiled, "Good, it's settled." She swept around and left without other comment.

Belle looked at Snow. "That was about something other than what it was about wasn't it?"

"It usually is." But she was too embarrassed to explain.

Riding had done just s she expected it would, extended the soreness. Still there was something to be said for realizing Regina had been truthful. The castle wasn't a cage and she wasn't a prisoner. The stablemaster had asked if they wanted a guardsman to go with them and when Snow said no none was forced upon them.

Once they were out of sight of the castle Belle looked over at her new friend, "Where are we going?"

"There is an... an old friend I want to visit. She was my nurse when I was a girl and ... well I think I need a clear head to figure some things out."

"The Evil Queen is playing a game with you?"

"She's not evil. Well she is. And yes. I think." Snow shrugged. "Regina and I are complicated. I'm sorry you were roped into this."

"Because she brought me to the castle so you would have a friend?"

Snow turned her head, "How did you know...?"

Belle laughed, "I'm not stupid. And ... I'm grateful. Whatever her motivations it did save my people. I never thought I'd see her as a hero."

"She... when she's a hero she's the bravest woman I ever knew."

"And when she's not?"

Snow looked ahead. "You a hero and a monster I have found."

They found the village that the castle servant had told Snow about and she asked politely around until she found a small well maintained house with a bed of snowbells in front. Something that made her smile as she inhaled and knocked on the door.

Johanna inhaled quickly when she opened the door, "Snow this is too dangerous there are knights who come ..."

Snow held up her hand, "Regina and I are ... there is a truce. This is my friend Belle. Can we come in?"

The old servant woman nodded and gave her a hug before leading them to her large table. "Tea?"

"Yes please." They both said.

Johanna glanced back at them a few times as she made it and pulled down cups, "Oh, not this one it's chipped." She mumbled as she set one to the side and offered the two girls their cups.

"I wanted to ask you about Regina."

Johanna sat down opposite her, but frowned. "Please ... tell me she hasn't hurt you."

"No." Snow said too quickly, not wanting to think about what had happened the night before in her bed chamber. "I just... the castle servants told me you took your leave of her. I'd assumed that anyone loyal to me died."

Johanna shrugged, "Some did. Some were just fired. I asked to take my leave because I couldn't sit back and watch what she was doing to you."

Belle looked on between them curiously, "And she just let you go?"

Johanna sighed, "The Queen is... someone who has hurt a lot. I have some appreciation of that pain though," she glanced at Snow, "Please don't ask me to break her confidences."

Snow was shocked that Johanna would have confidences with Regina that she wouldn't share.

"Can I trust her word?"

Johanna looked at her, "Child, what has she promised you?"

Snow shrugged, "Nothing. She just... she's promised me nothing but I'm wonder if it's possible that she could be genuinely forgiving me."

The old servant shrugged, "You know as well as I do that she's gone insane. But the woman she used to be... for all the grudges she's held... well she let me walk away even after I told her that I couldn't stand by and watch her slander you. I think she's a complicated woman. If she hasn't promised anything and hasn't killed you I think it's safe to say that she's conflicted. That's the only time I ever saw the young girl I liked when she came to the palace to marry your father."

"I've seen bits of her too of late. I just ... I'm just not sure if it's because I want to see them."

"Probably. But she's been trying to kill you so long, if you've returned to the castle and she hasn't killed you what could she want?" Johanna asked innocently.

The rest of the visit was pleasant and being away from the castle made Belle relax. When they were riding back she turned to Snow, "Thank you. I know you didn't want to go riding but... it's good to know I'm not a prisoner in the castle."

Snow shook her head, "Just because you aren't a prisoner doesn't mean you aren't free. Please don't give Regina a reason to kill you. She'll do it before thinking about it."

"How do you live with someone that dark?"

Snow shrugged, "I guess when you love someone you forgive the darkness." She paused, "Or maybe you love all of them including the darkness."

The hours in the saddle came back to haunt Snow that evening and she took a long bath to soak in the warm water. When she got out there was a small box on her bed. She opened it to find a beautiful pendent on a silver colored chain. A deep green stone. The note inside was in Regina's hand. "For my stubborn little princess. Not today..."

Snow picked up the necklace and smiled, choosing the sentiment over the threat and placing it around her neck before looking in the mirror.

In another room. On another side of a mirror Regina watched. "She's put it on. She's so caught up in the emotions that she's not realizing how far she's fallen into your web, My Queen."

Regina didn't rise to the mirror's bait. "She thinks she loves me."

"Or she does."

Regina didn't answer. Because it seemed so impossible to her that anyone could love her.


	7. Chapter 7

Snow dressed in the morning in a cream colored dress and still wearing the emerald pendant Regina had given her. She found the Queen attending to her apple tree in the garden with a set of hand sheers. "Thank you, Regina. For the necklace."

Regina turned and for a moment Snow thought she smiled. "It's a good color on you. Did you satisfy yourself that you could come and go as you wished yesterday?" Regina turned her back again returning to her work.

Snow fidgeted with her hands. "I did. Thank you for that. And... for saving Belle's people. Even if I'm not sure I like the idea of taking her away from her family for my benefit."

"Her father was going to keep her locked in tower anyway. At least in my castle she'll see more of the world." Regina said dismissively.

Snow nodded at that, she hadn't thought about it that way, and doubted Belle or her family would either. But it wasn't without truth. She moved around so that she was on the other side of the tree and in Regina's eye line. "I saw that my wanted posters are still up."

"You are still not officially back in my good graces. And still guilty of crimes against the crown."

"You know those charges are lies, Regina."

There was fire in her eyes and Snow wondered if she'd finally said the wrong thing, "A Queen gets to make her own truth."

"I ... was ... I was thinking about the way we've been..." Snow made a vague gesture.

"Having sex."

"Yes." Snow said inhaling to gain some confidence. "It's ... incredible but also worrying me. None of the romantic stories ever talk about it the way it is between us."

The pain mixed in. The restraints from the previous night. The way that each time it seemed to get more intense.

"Those stories are told as means of control. Of keeping pretty little princess' in line and unprepared for what their prince charming will or will not be like." She looked over at Snow. "Or were you expecting to follow your trail of pixie dust to an easy escape?"

Snow managed a little smile, "I wasn't expecting where it lead. But I'm starting to like it."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Finding a bit of darkness to your taste in the bedroom?"

Snow shrugged and didn't want to answer. "It depends on how far it goes."

Regina looked at her directly, "It will go as far as I choose to take it. You have failed to understand that every inch of you is mine. To kill or to fuck." Her voice was quiet. "And you are still a bandit because you have not yet submitted to me."

"I can swear an oath."

"No. The oath will come after you have submitted."

"And if I don't want to submit?"

"You can leave when you wish until the day I decide to kill you. Which is not today, but I won't promise won't be tomorrow." Regina tilted her head, "Besides, I think you do want to submit Snow." Regina put her pruning tool down and walked around the tree to lean in to her ear. "I want every part of your body and soul. And I know you. You just need an excuse to give them to me."

Regina ran a finger along her jaw line.

Snow shivered but something in her knew it to be true. "How would I even know what you mean by submission."

"When you are ready you'll know what it means."

Regina turned her back on Snow picking up the clippers again and Snow knew the conversation was over. She was quiet through dinner with Belle who asked a few delicate questions. The other woman didn't know what was going on between the Queen and the Princess but it was certainly not innocent.

"Are you afraid that she might kill you?" Belle asked finally. "Tonight I mean. You've been nervous since we got back from the ride."

Snow raised an eyebrow, "Of course I'm worried she might kill me. She's killed hundreds of people just to get to me. Everything about this situation is a red flag and a warning sign and there are ones you aren't even seeing."

Like how much Snow wanted to know what this magical submission was. And not so she could avoid it.

"You could leave."

Snow whispered quietly. "I don't want to."

Belle raised an eyebrow. "This is ... more complicated than I'm understanding?"

"That might be the biggest understatement in the realm."

Belle nodded again. "You know you can talk to me." She looked around, "You are obviously in love with her. I don't understand it but I can recognize it."

"I ... I'm not sure it's love." She inhaled. "That's a lie. I do know it's love. But she doesn't love me back. I don't think she's capable of it. This ... it feels weird."

Belle smiled, "I think love usually feels weird. And you can't know if she can love you unless you take a risk. Is it more dangerous to do that or to hide from the answer?"

Snow nodded, and excused herself from dinner.

Regina didn't summon her this time, though she probably expected her, the Queen always made her feel awkward and wrong footed. Snow was waiting in her rooms.

"What are you doing here?"

"Taking a chance." She quickly kissed Regina on the mouth in an aggressively sexual way. "Regina would you allow me ..."

Snow froze midsentence. Regina smiled, "You don't have to voice it dear. You just have to do it." Snow swallowed and lowered herself to one knee and then the other. She started to try push up Regina's heavy skirt but the Queen laughed.

"That we can skip."

A flourish of her hands and purple smoke left Regina naked. Even without the imposing wardrobe towering over Snow she still felt like a queen. She licked her lips and pressed her face into Regina's mound, using her tongue to find her clit. She felt Regina's hands grip her head, her fingers intertwining with her hair and holding her there.

"Very good my dear..." whatever witty comment Regina intended to make was cut off by a gasp as Snow awkwardly found the way to use her tongue to stimulate the Queen. Each time she felt Regina shift her balance or a new sound she knew that this was what she wanted to do.

The orgasm that came from Regina was powerful, much more so than she expected, and Regina held her head into her so hard she was worried for a moment she wouldn't be able to breathe. When she finally let go and took a step back looking down at Snow in surprise Snow smiled.

It was rare in the bedroom thus far that she had surprised Regina. "You said I'd know submission when I felt it."

But Regina's face was quickly a mask again and she smiled. "Oh that was very close my dear." She ran a finger along Snow's chin. "Very close."

She took Snow's hand and almost in a courtly gesture helped her up and lead her to the bed. With clear simple orders she got Snow to lay down.

"More restraints?"

"Only if you want them, my dear, but they aren't strictly necessary for this." She stroked her hair. "You want me to be your Queen again?"

She nodded. Regina grinned widely and there was something cold in her eyes.

"What ..."

"Every Queen needs a magnificent throne, my little princess."

Regina crawled on top of Snow, kissing her before placing both knees on the side of her head and using her calves to keep her arms pinned. Snow was now understanding what 'not strictly necessary' meant as she looked up at Regina and she lowered herself onto Snow's face.

"This my dear, is a much better position for your submission." Regina balanced herself carefully so that Snow could still breath and her weight wasn't on her face, but there was very little choice in the position for Snow to do anything but pleasure her. She started again with her tongue along her clitoris, and experimented with her lips, and flickering her tongue inside her. Each thing that worked brought praise from the Queen above her. Each thing that didn't a mild squeeze to lessen her air for a moment.

She wasn't show how long she did that, but until Regina couldn't hold herself up anymore and climbed off her laying down in the bed with a grin that seemed impossibly big. "That was very good my princess. Mine. Do you understand now?"

Snow just nodded.

She knew submission when she felt it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The major character death warning applies to this chapter, though it refers to a major character from the show, not in this story. It is not Regina, or Snow, or Belle.

The night had been intense, and while not the most physically demanding of her times with Regina it did force her to realize that she had not only allowed but initiated what had happened. She lay awake for a time, watching Regina sleep, but didn't wake when the queen did in the morning. Instead it was the quiet clearing of a throat and Regina's maid was holding a bowl of water and morning items for her.

"Her Majesty regrets that you can't sleep in but she says you are to attend court today and must prepare."

Snow raised an eyebrow. Though she had been around the castle for more than a month now court was something that she'd been told to avoid. The peasant's with business, nobles, and even diplomatic visitors attended the Evil Queen's court and Snow being seen there would send shockwaves across the Enchanted Forest.

Submission. She remembered the night before and what Regina had said about knowing when she would submit. And she cursed because she realized that was what Regina was waiting for. And she'd given it to her in less than a month.

Still she bathed and brushed out her hair and saw that a dress had been laid out for her. Not white at least the cliché could be avoided, but a deep emerald color and Snow thought of the necklace that she'd been given as a gift.

Regina had been planning this all along.

Still she dressed and was presentable as the daughter of a king rather than a bandit from the woods. Two footman opened the doors of the great hall and there was a quiet murmur among the crowd. Regina saw her and a smirk crossed her face. She was wearing something black jewels that looked like they could be lost in her cleavage. Playing up the image. She gestured for Snow to come to her and without saying a word she pointed to a place that Snow was to stand by her side.

So everyone could see.

The court business wasn't all evil, though some of it did make Snow uncomfortable, and Regina didn't address her presence until near the end of the session.

"The traitor Princess Snow White has admitted her faults and the error of her ways and begged forgiveness." Snow gave her a slight look of the raised eyebrow. "I have, through my rare mercy, granted her forgiveness in exchange for her public pledge of fealty to me as her rightful and legitimate Queen."

There was a louder murmur now. Regina took her hand and interlaced their fingers, holding both their hands up in the air. "She has promised to stand by my side and help bring peace and strength to the kingdom."

There was the beginnings of clapping. The kind of staged clapping where people knew that was the time to do it rather than a spontaneous sort. A few black knights in the back shouted, "Long live the Queen."

The noise covered what Snow said looking over at Regina, "I don't recall begging your forgiveness."

"Politics dear. And don't get too comfortable. I will not kill you today... but perhaps ..."

"... tomorrow." And for some reason now Snow smiled. It wasn't an expression of love but toleration. And given the nature of their relationship toleration was what she would take.

In the following days the wanted posters were taken down all over the kingdom and the proclamation of the royal reconciliation went up. The few times Snow and Belle left the castle and encountered peasants though she realized that peace with Regina was not universally popular. She was now viewed with suspicion as she road openly and two black knights even roughed up a man who spat at her though she asked them to stop and they did.

She road back to the castle a bit defeated. She knew that Regina had used the politics of the announcement to her advantage but she had naively hoped people wouldn't be mad. "Royal feuds rarely go well for peasants," Belle said quietly. "I'm sure there are many who are happy not to have the Queen rampaging through the countryside anymore. Surely you've saved lives by reconciling."

"A deal with a kind of devil isn't it though? I understand why they feel betrayed."

Regina smiled watching them through the mirror before waving the magic away and walking down to her garden and the apple tree. She took in the blooms of the flowers in the garden around her and the satisfaction of her victory.

She heard the sword drawn despite its wielder's attempt at silence, turning with an amused expression on her face. "Oh what shall I do, a hero has come to face me."

David had steeled himself for the mission at hand when the price of Midas saving the kingdom was that he free a princess from the clutches of the Evil Queen. "Where is Princess Snow White?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "No idea really. I don't keep track of her every move."

A lie of course, but a plausible one. The prince put the sword to her neck and was more insistent. "Where is she monster."

"I might say that it is a strange definition of monster and hero when you are the one with the sword to my neck." She smiled. "Let me guess... this is one of King Midas' quests?"

She flicked her wrist and David's sword flew out of his hand painfully.

"He really is going to damage the marriage market for a generation with his insistence on setting these quests for men who want to marry his daughter."

"Marry his daughter?" David said confused. He was doing this to save the kingdom.

Regina laughed, "This is a test dear. Fight a dragon, a sea monster, an evil queen. No one yet survived one of his quests and your twin brother the real prince didn't survive his last either."

He blinked

"No matter what those two old men think I am actually both smarter and better informed than either George or Midas." Her hand went up and the erstwhile prince grabbed his throat to stop the choking. "It's a shame. The princess really could use some rescuing. You just won't be the one doing it."

Another flick of her hand and from the ground vines and wood formed around his legs, and the last noise the shepherd turned prince made was an inhuman scream as he painfully transformed into a cherry tree in full bloom.

Regina smiled and picked a blossom. "So handsome."

Snow came along only a few minutes later, "That tree is new."

Regina smiled sweetly. "Yes, planted in your honor." She touched the bottom of Snow's chin and set the blossom in her hair.

Snow blushed and her own worries about the morning ride faded at the romantic gesture.


	9. Chapter 9

Snow's return to the official good graces of the court meant that she had duties now. She was sent out to visit villages and to report on what she saw, as well as deal with envoys from neighboring kingdoms "that I might kill if I have to speak to them" Regina had said casually.

Snow herself was tempted to kill the envoy from King George who was demanding the right to search for his missing hire. Why Prince James was wandering around a foreign kingdom was not something he was prepared to answer but it was certainly something Snow wanted to know when Belle spoke up and asked about giants. Belle turned out to have an amazing breath of knowledge and knew that King George and his son has waged war on the giants and none had been heard from since. Whatever James was doing in their kingdom was not good.

She preferred the work outside the castle. The people weren't as friendly or supportive as they once were to her, but when she came back Regina asked many questions and each time she learned more what to look for and noticed things she would never even think to notice.

It was easy to forget the Evil Queen. Especially when you were falling in love with her. Even if each day she still reminded you that she might kill you tomorrow. So it was quite the shock when she saw Regina kill for the first time.

It was a minor lord who she had discovered was issuing his own permits to hunt on royal land near his estates. Snow wasn't even intending to be in court that day and she certainly didn't see the murder coming. The man was trying to explain away what he had done and with a roll of her eyes Regina had simply lifted his hand and twisted and there was the terrible sound of his neck snapping and he dropped to the stone floor.

The visitors to the court gasped, but what was more unnerving to Snow was how little the castle servants and guards reacted. Two black knights stepped forward, picked up the Lord's arms and dragged him out and the next matter was at the Queen's attention. After the session was over Snow ran from the room, finding her way outside for fresh air and found herself throwing up in the bushes. When she finished and had cleaned herself up and took a drink from a fountain there was clapping behind her. Regina was watching her.

"You... killed that man. Like he was nothing."

"He was nothing. And killing him is my right." The Queen tilted her head, "Or did you have some romantic notion that your desire for me would tame the savage queen?"

"No ... I mean... I just..."

With a casual wave of her hand Regina sent Snow flying so her back was against the trunk of the newly planted cherry tree. Regina stalked towards her, fire in her eyes, "You don't get to make me weak, Snow. Never again."

Regina's fingers flexed and she wondered if she was about to lose her heart. But instead Regina stopped short and caressed her face with the back of her fingers. "You are a lovely decoration to have at my side in court, and a rather charming bed partner, but you submitted to me as your queen. I will do as I see fit with my kingdom," there was a slightly mad smile, and Regina leaned in to whisper in her ear. "And with all of my property."

She nipped a playful bite at Snow's ear and moved down her neck kissing. A flick of her fingers and Snow's skirts and petty coats came up and Regina's hand was in her intimate garments. The Queen used her body to press her against the trunk of the tree and after biting the top of her breast to leave a mark she looked into Snow's eyes as she pressed two fingers into her roughly and cupped her hand against her so with such pressure that the tree shook and they were showered with white blossoms as the Evil Queen took her rights.

Snow was gasping and found herself spreading her legs a little so that Regina had better access, but just as she was getting into it Regina hooked her fingers and pulled up so that the pressure drove her mad and she used her thumb to stroke her clit.

"You want to climax dear?" Regina whispered. Snow could only nod. "Beg."

Snow wanted to say something but Regina's fingers were driving her to distraction and the Queen bit the top of her breast again. She closed her eyes and leaned against the tree. "Please."

"Give yourself to me however I want. Beg me for it."

Snow looked into her eyes and for some reason she expected to be afraid, but the reality was that she wanted Regina to want her. "Please I'm yours Regina. I've always been and I always will be."

Regina got a the smile of a mad woman as she continued pumping with her fingers until the orgasm came. When Snow was breathing too hard to fight anything she kissed her hard on the mouth denying her the breath and when she finally broke the kiss leaving Snow gasping for air.

"Always mine."


	10. Chapter 10

Snow went back to her room after the encounter with the queen in the garden and Belle was waiting for her, arms folded and biting her lip, "Princess Snow... I think we should talk."

Snow was surprised at her new friend's serious expression, "About what?"

"Have you talked to anyone about you and the Queen?" Belle came forward and took her hand.

Snow blushed deeply, "Well I'm sure there are a lot of people talking about reconciliation."

"That wasn't reconciliation I saw." Belle said quietly.

"Oh." Snow swallowed, "It just ... sort of happened."

"I'm sure it did. Because ending up in the bed of the woman who has spent how many years trying to destroy you just happens." Belle put her hands on Snow's shoulders. "How long? Since you were living here before?"

Snow was quick to answer, "No. No Regina didn't do anything inappropriate."

"Other than try to kill you."

"Our relationship is ... complicated."

"And consensual? You... want this?"

Snow sighed and sat down on the bed, "Oh Belle, I ... I've wanted this since before." But her own mind went to the way things had started to be. Restraints. Pain. Possessiveness. "I'm not sure I could stop if I wanted to. And I don't."

Belle sat down next to her and held her hand, "Do you love her?"

"I've always loved her. I just ... I never even considered I might love her like this. But there was this fairy. I was lonely and wished... wondering if there was someone out there for me."

"Does she love you?" Belle seem to reserve judgment on the story of the fairy.

"I ... I'm not sure I need her too. I mean I want her too yes. But having her is more than I've ever hoped for. Wanting her to love me seems... greedy."

Belle raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Snow asked.

"Everyone deserves love."

Snow shrugged, "At the moment I think I'd take her not hating me."

Belle frowned but said nothing and Snow felt the other woman's uneasy linger. She didn't see Regina the rest of the day and wasn't called to her bed that night. The castle servant's whispered that she had gone to the tower where she did magical things and it was never good to interrupt her when she had dark magic flowing through her.

But as Snow was getting ready for bed she saw there was a small box laying on the bed. It was finely crafted just like the first that held the pendant and when she opened it she gasped. It was a royal signet ring, like one Regina wore and her mother and father hand worn. She was supposed to have one made for her when she reached her 20th birthday but while the orders went in life and murder had happened before she got it.

She picked up the gold and emerald ring. It slipped onto her finger perfectly. Inside the box was a note, "I take care of what is mine."

The breath caught in Snow's throat and she almost cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina appeared a few times over the next few days, mostly to attend business of the kingdom, and to hear word from her ministers in other courts. Today it was word that George was still searching for his lost son, but that Midas had found a worthy match for his daughter. Hans of the Southern Isles. Both Regina and Snow made simultaneous disgusted noises. The Southern Isles had sent their sons to court Snow when her father was still alive. Hans was charming and handsome of course, but looking back on it Snow realized that the scandal where he had been caught by her father and Snow talking about his plans for his kingdom after the marriage were all to convenient. As if arranged by magic.

She glanced over at Regina, who perhaps knew what she was thinking, "If the girl is happy that is her business. Some women are satisfied with the life of a prize. Midas has treated his daughter as little else."

Regina put off an air of unconcern but she stormed out of the audience chamber and Snow only resisted following her by Belle's hand on her arm. "I'd like you in once piece, my friend."

Snow sighed and nodded.

Regina didn't go to court the next day, leaving only written instructions with her steward that Snow and her companion were to travel to the border villages and inspect them. George's search for Prince James had sent a number of parties of white knights where they shouldn't have been.

It was strange now for Snow not only to be riding with a party of Black Knights, but for their lieutenant to take orders from her. She still didn't trust the men entirely, or at all, and had decided to take her bow with her.

Belle had turned out to be a wonderful traveling companion and Snow extended their tour just to show her more of her favorite places in the kingdom. Some of them from when she was a girl and some she had discovered while on the run. It was in one of those places on the edge of King Midas' kingdom that she noticed something strange. She bid the party of knights to stay back and she and Belle dismounted. She showed Belle how to move quietly and the two women crept up on what turned out to be a small party of soldiers, and king George very far from his own kingdom. He was talking with Prince Hans, a brown pouch in his hands.

"... once the wedding is done I can drug the old man's food with this and trick him into turning his daughter to gold. It won't be hard to put a mad king in a tower after that and force him to turn out gold and I as regent hoping for my wife's recovery will reward you handsomely for your assistance."

"A good potions master is a useful investment. And you will pay us the gold promised to my son?"

"Of course," Hans smiled.

Snow looked over at Belle who was horrified and the two of them crept away until they were back with their Black Knights. Their Black Knights was still something hard for Snow to fathom. "We have to warn King Midas and Princess Abigail," Belle said immediately.

Snow shook her head, "We don't have any proof and Midas will just take it as Regina trying to interfere and keep him weaker." Snow sighed, thinking, "Lieutenant, do you know the north road?"

It ran through territory that was not claimed by any kingdom. "Yes, Your Highness."

"I'm going to teach you all a bit how to be a bandit."

The ambush was set up by the time Abigail's carriage came through. Belle was in the road with one of the black knights sans his armor laying on the ground blocking their path. The armed men with Abigail went to investigate and the other knights came out of the woods to take them out. The princess ran from her carriage only to come face to face with Snow standing in the road with her bow.

They had been foster sisters for a summer a decade ago and Abigail knew her immediately. She went to scream but Snow sighed, "So sorry," and threw a hood over her face and forced her onto a horse to ride away.

They had kidnapped the princess to save her.

By the time they got her back to the castle the entire enchanted forest was humming with the news that mysterious bandits had kidnapped the gold king's daughter.

Regina had her arms folded as she watched the party enter the castle courtyard from her balcony and with a wave of her hand the princess disappeared in smoke. Snow looked up at her and swallowed, asking the others to take care of the horses.

She met Regina in the throne room, Regina sitting in the chair looking livid, "You kidnapped, King Midas' daughter."

"Where is she?" Snow asked?"

"A cell in the tower for important prisoners. I didn't want you taking off that hood and her finding out who had committed the act of war." Regina's tone was dangerous and livid.

"We ... Your Majesty. I'm sorry if we caused problems for you but we encountered King George and Prince Hans in the wood plotting." Snow carefully laid out what they had heard. "I couldn't think of another way to save her life."

Regina made no comment but grunted, "I'll see if there is any cleaning up of this mess. Go take care of your horses, bathe and change. I want the rest of your report in writing. Use your little bookworm friend as a scribe and have it ready for me in my study after evening bells."

Snow nodded, still unsure if Regina was mad at her ... or at the situation.

Belle and Snow spent most of the afternoon working on the report, including every detail they could think of, and Snow presented it to Regina just as the evening bells rang. The queen sat behind the large table she used to do the kingdom's work reading by candle light before putting it down and walking around the desk.

"You acted rashly, but bravely, and with honor." Regina smiled. "A quality I find endearing if a bit insufferable. But you've also left me with a huge mess and a prisoner who is not likely to have seen this as a rescue."

Snow nodded, "I'm sorry Regina. I just couldn't ..."

Regina put her finger across Snow's lips, "I know, my dear. But I have to decide if you deserve a reward... or a punishment for your actions.

Snow shivered and Regina smiled wider. Regina waked around her and started to unlace her dress. Snow knew she could have done this in seconds with magic. She had before. But this was slow. Deliberate. It made her wonder what was going to happen and to remember Belle's concerns about what the Queen's intentions were. The dress was off eventually and Snow stood in the cold night air of the castle. Regina remained standing behind her, running tow fingers down her spine from her neck all the way to the crack between her buttocks. She pressed her body against Snow's back and the jewels of Regina's dress pressed against her skin as Regina kissed her neck.

"A reward I think." She walked back over to the desk she used and came up with another jewelry box like the ones the pendant and the ring had come in. "Open it."

Naked and standing before her it seemed an odd moment for a romantic gesture but Snow did, seeing what was obviously more finely crafted jewelry, though what exactly she didn't know. She pulled the fine silver chain out and at each end was some sort of attachment with a lever and encrusted with tiny emeralds just in the same style of the other jewelry.

"Made just for you, my princess."

Snow smiled, "It's beautiful Regina... but ... I don't know what it is."

Regina grinned and something about that made Snow catch her breath, unsure if it was the Queen's beauty or something else. "Don't worry Snow, it will look beautiful on you." She took the chain from Snow and kissed her fully on the mouth. A free hand of Regina's traveled over her body and soon Regina was moving down to kiss her breasts and give them a playful bite. "The cold air is helping nicely."

She gave her nipple a little pinch and Snow yelped, but she was still looking at Regina's eyes when the sharp pain came and she looked down. The end of the chain was a clamp with broad flat heads that Regina had attached to her. The words that came out of Snow's mouth were nothing she learned as a princess. Regina smiled, "No corrupting an innocent than." She was rougher with the other nipple, squeezing the nipple until it was a hard nub and then attaching the clamp."

The scream was nearly inhuman, but Regina took a step back and looked at her work, "Beautiful. I had it made especially for you from the finest jeweler in all the realm." She looked into her eyes, "Bend over Snow, touch your toes so I can see how it hangs."

It was a cruel command and Snow knew it. She hesitated expecting Regina to be angry. Strangely she wasn't, she simply whispered in her ear, "Are you forgetting the other day. When you begged and gave yourself to me?"

But Snow didn't bend over herself instead there was a puff of smoke and a rough push from the queen and she found herself bending over a padded bar. Her breasts hanging now and the chain swinging between them reminding her of the clamps at each end. A flick of the queen's fingers and Snow found herself attached to the thing but cuffs around her wrists.

"I don't think you are sufficiently grateful, Snow, for my tolerance of the war you've handed me." She ran a hand along the curve of her buttocks. "Or of the gift."

"It... they're ..."

"Painful I know," she said quietly. "But there is nothing so beautiful in all the realms as you with tears in your eyes. Under me even more so."

She continued to run her hand along her softly, "But you do need an occasional reminder of your place." The slap with the flat of Regina's hand wasn't hard, more sharp than painful. The second came on the other cheek. Snow yelped out and the motion sent her breasts moving beneath her.

"Do you understand, my Princess?" Snow didn't answer and there was another slap. "This will continue until you tell me you understand."

It only took two more spanks. "I understand."

"Thank me."

"What?"

"Thank me for the gift Snow."

Snow turned bright red, or that might have been the blood rushing to her head, "Thank you my queen. I'm sorry."

The next touch wasn't a slap but a soft caress that paused for a moment over the crack between her cheeks but patted her gently. "I knew you would understand."

A wave of her hand and the horse and the restraints were gone and snow dropped to her hands and knees as Regina walked over to a chair by the fire.

"Come."

Snow hesitated, unsure if she should stand or crawl. She choose the dignity of standing and walked over to her. Regina didn't correct her, but instead gestured for her to kneel on the soft bear skin rug next to the chair. Snow did and Regina took her head and lay it in her lap and stroked her hair. "I know I am not an easy woman to love Snow. And that I hurt you. I need to... I need to hurt you. But you are strong and I know I can do it because I know how strong you really are."

And part of Snow knew it was crazy... but she was proud of herself and relaxed in the lap of her queen.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina made Snow stand by in the court as Princess Abigail was brought before her. She'd been kept in a tower cell, clean but very secure the night before. To her credit the princess was looking defiant and angry. Regina, still brooding over having been forced into this diplomatic mess.

"Welcome to my court, Princess Abigail. I'm sure you remember the castle from the last time you were an unwilling guest here."

"This is an outrageous act of war. My father won't stand for it." Abigail managed, ignoring the Queen's reference to her summer as a foster.

"It was." Regina agreed. "Snow can be, often, short sighted but I can't actually fault her initiative. I'd have kidnapped you too with the information she had."

Snow glance at Regina, surprised at something that was almost a compliment.

"Which was?" Abigail folded her arms and glanced at Snow. She wasn't sure if that was betrayal in her eyes.

"That power grubbing fool your father is marrying you off to intends to kill you and enslave your father into a gold making slave." Regina said with a wave of her hand.

"You expect me to believe that?"

Regina tilted her head, "You weren't a stupid girl when you were sixteen. Yes, I actually do expect you to believe that. You will be a guest of this kingdom until your father grants you the free choice to marry or not as you choose. If he is pig headed enough to attack me I have no compulsion against killing him and handing you his crown. It would end the inflation problem overnight."

"Inflation problem?" Snow asked before she realized she'd spoken out of turn.

Regina gave her a slow narrow look, "Just because I'm not killing you today doesn't mean I won't do it tomorrow."

Snow looked appropriately chastened before Regina turned back to their guest.

"What... exactly... is this plan to kill and enslave my father?" Abigail was still mad, but willing to listen. Regina gestured for Snow to speak.

"By lady in waiting and I overheard Prince Hans speaking with King George along the borderlands. He plans to entrap your father into somehow turning you to gold and then locking him away for others protection."

Regina grunted, "He tried the same thing on the Queen of Arendelle and her sister last year. If your father paid attention to what was going on beyond his kingdom and obsessive vetting of potential husbands he would have heard the reports."

Abigail looked directly at the Evil Queen without flinching and Snow was sure Regina was elevating her estimation of the princess, "What do you get out of supposedly saving my life and my father's kingdom."

"I get the satisfaction of not having an idiot for a neighbor." She tilted her head, "Though I already have your father and King George so that's all relative."

Snow glanced over at Regina, wondering why she was trying to come off so callous.

"And if he calls off the wedding you'll let me go. No ransom?"

"I don't need your father's gold." Regina said evenly. "Believe me, don't believe me, but if you try to escape I may just change my mind if I want to have you sitting on your father's throne when he dies."

She nodded to Snow. "Take the princess up to guest rooms. If she runs... it will be back to the tower."

And with that the Queen dismissed them both from her presence.

After they left the throne room Snow looked over at her, "Sorry about the kidnapping thing."

"You should be." There was a long pause. "Thank you for saving me from the marriage though. I don't know what's gotten into father. He keeps setting these impossible quests for suitors to prove themselves for my hand."

Snow shook her head, relieved though that Abigail didn't seem to be that angry. "How did Hans win your hand?"

"He supposedly killed the Prince of Thieves. But without a body that seems terribly unlikely to me."

"He does seem the lying sort." Snow agreed.

"Will the Evil Queen keep her word?"

Snow winced a little at the title, she didn't know why. "Yes. Regina ... the Queen knows something of being forced into an arranged marriage. I think there is a place in her heart to help you."

Abigail shook her head, "I'm not sure I want to be counting capacity of the Evil Queen's heart."

 _It might be bigger than you think._ Snow found herself thinking but said nothing, "Please don't try to run. I'm sure she meant it about the tower."

Abigail sighed and looked at Snow, "Why would I run? This is at the moment the only way out of a marriage I never wanted?"

Snow raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"I'm already in love. I lost him to father's curse but ... I have no desire to marry any of these men. Not when I still have hope for Frederick."

Snow bit her lower lip, "It's magic. Maybe Regina will know the answer."

"You are strangely comfortable around a woman who has spent the last few years trying to kill you. You know the entire Enchanted Forest thinks she has you bewitched."

Snow shrugged, "I'm not sure I care what the entire Enchanted Forest thinks."

Abigail laughed, "If I survive this stay I think it might be interesting."

"If you don't survive the stay it will still probably be interesting. If you need anything my rooms are next door and Belle's are just down the hall."

"The duke's daughter? She seems to be collecting young women."

Snow shrugged, "I guess maybe if you aren't trying to kill me you have time to collect a few pets." Snow paused at the door to the princess' rooms. "And really I'm not sure she sees any of us as beyond pets."

"Even you?"

"Especially me."

"And you are okay with that?"

"No. But I think maybe I'm in love and I'll take what her dark heart will give me." Snow wasn't sure where the admission came from she just knew it was true. Pixie dust hadn't lied.


	12. Chapter 12

Snow was banished from the court proceedings after the kidnapping of Princess Abigail. The three women spent time together, sharing stories of their travel and gossip from around the enchanted forest which mostly seemed to entertain Belle who had not traveled much before Regina had drawn her as payment from her father. But Snow felt worry as she saw the increased activities of the soldiers and the parties of Midas' messengers arrive and leave angry and frustrated.

There was once even an occasion where Regina's magically magnified voice could be heard threatening a messenger after some of Midas' soldiers had entered the kingdom. By the sound of it they were lucky to have left with their lives. Abigail looked nervous, "She ... she won't hurt people because of me."

"I ..." Snow paused. "Regina would hurt people without cause. The fact that she's avoiding it now is a sign of restraint not madness." Snow was guilty though. She's probably started a war that Regina hadn't wanted and people might die before Midas backed down. Or Regina did.

Still that evening a footman arrived shortly before dinner and informed her that the Queen required her attendance at dinner privately. She glanced at Belle and Abigail and gave them a reassuring smile.

The Evil Queen's foul mood had been impossible to miss. Still when Snow arrived, smoothing out her cream dress before she entered the dining hall she was nervous. Regina hadn't sent for her since the punishment which had ... not entirely been a punishment. The shame had eaten at the back of her mind in her spare moments. The humiliation. And the excitement she felt at both the shame and the humiliation.

Regina was sitting at the long table, food already set before her. "Come in Snow. I thought if I was going to spend my days dealing with your oncoming war I should at least break bread with my hotheaded princess."

Snow took a seat and spread a napkin in her lap. "I'm the hotheaded one?"

"I only kidnap wealthy princesses occasionally." Regina said as she began to eat.

Snow waited for the footmen to pour them wine. "Do you think there will be war?"

"Not ultimately. Midas is a practical man to a point. His pride may cause him to do something that will require me to respond... but he will stop short of war I think. He may not relent on the subject of his daughter's marriage though. He has chosen to disbelieve your report of Prince Hans' intentions."

"Are ... are you still mad at me?"

Regina smiled, "I'm always mad at you. That is the nature of our relationship. Or has a few days made you forget when we were last alone? Should I make sure the message lingers longer next time?"

Snow shifted in her seat and the Queen's grin widened. "You should know that I hold myself back with you Snow. I want you in ways I know would frighten you. I am grateful that you have given so much of your body to me so far and I do not actually want to take what you are unwilling to give."

"I appreciate that, Your Majesty." Snow glanced down.

"You so rarely call me that in private." Regina observed.

"It seemed right."

Regina nodded. "Well tonight I wanted to give you a gift I had ordered for you before you decided to play walking diplomatic incident. I have decided I am not angry enough with you to deny the gift especially has it has some practical value."

She held up her hand and a footman appeared with a long box and held it before Snow who raised an eyebrow. Regina's gifts had ranged from jewelry to sexual torture toys and she wasn't sure what could possibly be in a box that large. She opened it carefully and her breath caught.

Regina smiled, "If you insist on challenging people with pointy sticks you might as well do so with style."

"Style isn't even close to the right word," Snow said quietly as she took the exquisitely crafted bow from the box. It was beautiful without excess ornamentation. Light but with a perfect draw weight when Snow tested it.

"The bowyers of Agrabah are, I'm told, the finest in all the realms. You may be my princess but you are my bandit princess and I don't want to ignore the skills you learned through hard work and practice."

Snow smiled widely and threw her arms around Regina, who stiffened not knowing how to respond. "It's wonderful Regina thank you."

She even thought she saw a small smile from the Queen and that might have been the bigger reward. She brushed it away though quickly, "Call it selfishness. I rather like your archers shoulders and don't want you to get soft."

"Of course." Snow smiled.

She returned to her rooms that evening to be greeted by a worried Belle and Abigail. Neither woman understood the gift. They were ladies who had never had call for weapons but were gracious enough to be happy that Snow was happy. Even if both had started to share concerns about the relationship between the princess and the queen.

It was late into the evening when Snow woke. She often did still not feeling entirely safe enough to relax in the castle. She got up to get a glass of wine from the sideboard when she heard a sound in the halls. Heavy boots of soldiers who were not normally in this part of the castle and much too loud to be the evening servants. On a hunch she grabbed her new bow and quiver and slipped out into the halls.

The party of men, each in a long gray coat seemed to be looking for something and certainly did not belong in the castle. She watched them for a time before slipping into the servant's passages and bypassing them making it to Abigail's rooms before them. "Get up!" She ordered the other princess roughly. "Your intended is here to rescue you and if you'd like to avoid that fate follow me."

They slipped out of the room just before Hans and his brothers entered. The two encountered a night maid who looked terrified to see the Princesses about, Snow armed. "Find the guards and inform the queen that there are intruders in the castle."

The girl quickly hurried off and snow found a room she knew only had one entrance roughly shoving Abigail in and ordering her to stay there. She positioned herself outside with an arrow in hand. The men rounded the corner and stopped and a few of them immediately started to laugh. Hans stepped forward. "Why isn't it the bandit Snow White. Whore of the Evil Queen foolish enough to think anyone in Mysthaven would believe her word."

Snow drew her arrow.

"A step closer and I'll fire." She took aim straight at him.

"You can't fire fast enough to take us all out."

"Try me." They were right of course. But she fancied Abigail's chances better if she fought than if she let them take her. Hans took another step forward and she let fire the arrow which buried itself in his shoulder. The string of curses that came from his mouth let her know it had penetrated his thick clothing. She drew and loosed two more arrows hitting more brothers, kicking a fourth in the genitals and biting a fifth before they got a hold of her.

"Kill the bitch." Hans breathed through the pain. One of the brothers raised his sword which disappeared from his hand.

"No one gets to kill Snow White but me." The booming voice came from behind the brothers. Regina, looking like death incarnate stalked towards them, four black knights behind her.

"What are you waiting for you idiots she's just a freak," Hans shouted from the ground.

Regina rolled her eyes, "Shut up." She made a fist and his voice was taken. Another wave and the brothers were in shackles and Snow was freed. "The Princess?"

"Safe," Snow said carefully, trying not to notice that Regina's own eyes darted over her to check for injuries.

"You are bleeding."

Snow looked down to notice blood on the sleeve of her night dress. "One of them must have nicked me. I'm fine."

The Queen looked at each man, fire in her eyes. She nodded to the back knights who dragged the princes' away leaving Hans for last who she roughly yanked the arrow from his shoulder and smiled at. "We will have a lovely chat my dear."

The look of fear in his eyes as he was dragged off was enough even without his voice to know that he was terrified.

When Regina turned to Snow again though her eyes were soft. "I will deal with you first." She nodded for Snow to follow her into the room Abigail was hiding in. She was in a corner with a dagger drawn but was relieved to see who it was until she saw the blood. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine," Snow assured her.

"She's an idiot." Regina said forcing her to sit down in a chair and with the gentleness of a despotic murder she ripped Snow's sleeve from the dress so that she could see the wound. "Alcohol." She ordered from Abigail who quickly found the wine kept in the room. Regina poured some directly on the wound to clean it and examined the wound for a moment more before her fingers hovered over it warm with purple light.

Snow winced, "It stings."

"Dark magic can heal but that doesn't make it pleasant."

Abigail watched with amazement. "Take her back to her room and make sure she sleeps, Princess. I will post guards but I doubt the thirteen idiots came with backup." Regina poofed away without anymore comment or sentiment.

The next day word reached them that King Midas was coming. The entire castle was ordered to formal court and Snow, Abigail, and Belle were to dress in their finest for the visit from Abigail's father. He strutted in with soldiers of gold mail behind him. "Enough Regina. I want my daughter back."

"You know the terms I set. She is a guest of my court until you grant her the freedom to marry or not at her own will." Regina said almost bored from her throne.

"That is not your business or your right," He looked up at Snow on the dais, "I told you I don't believe your pathetic little whore."

Regina cocked her head to the side but said nothing, merely gestured with her hand as a side door opened and the thirteen princes from the Southern Isles were brought in chains. Snow winced when she saw the condition Hans was in, still bleeding from his arrow wound and now others as well, realizing that he'd been tortured that night.

"Did you send them?" Midas looked confused. "Ah, I see you didn't. Perhaps it was their idea to salvage the plan to steal your kingdom." Regina got up from her throne smiling much to brightly like a cat playing with a wounded mouse.

She walked down to where Hans was standing, "You'd think the king would be more grateful that I am saving him the indignity you had in store for him."

Hans tried to say something but nothing came out of his mouth.

"Oh yes, your voice." She waved her hand and the first thing that came out was, "Evil witch."

Regina smiled. "Yes, but it has some advantages." And to everyone's shock she reached into his chest and pulled out his heart. "Always so strange that such a little ass can have a red heart. I guess incompetence at your evil deeds has a saving grace."

Snow had never seen a heart ripped from a body before, and she could tell neither had Abigail or Belle who both looked sick. Regina for her part moved around the room like she was flitting around at tea, heart in hand before coming to Midas, "Tell the king your plan for his daughter."

Hans, unable to resist began to speak, "King George gave me a potion that would turn her to stone and another that make it look like gold. I would then announce to the kingdom that the king had gone mad after turning his daughter to gold and had to be locked away. That I would be regent until we found a way to free her from the curse."

"And what does George get out of this?"

"We were going to keep King Midas around and force him to turn things to gold for us. We promised King George enough gold to stabilize his kingdom in exchange for his diplomatic support of my rule."

Midas turned ghost white and Regina laughed. "You are a dense man but not stupid Midas. You know he can't lie while I hold his heart. Your little machinations nearly got your daughter killed and cost you your freedom. You should thank my 'whore' for your near miss."

Regina returned to her throne holding Hans' heart.

"I ... thank you." He bowed his head to Snow. "The marriage is off of course."

He gestured for Abigail to come with him, but Regina held up her hand and a black knight held his poleax in front of Abigail. "That was not my term. You must grant her the right to marry or not as she chooses. You have clearly proven incompetent at picking a good match."

He turned red and narrowed his eyes, "And you have my daughter's interests at heart?"

"Better than her father apparently. Which should tell you how far you've managed to stick your head up your own ass, Midas."

She waved her hand, "Your visit is over until you meet the terms."

He stormed off angry and once he was gone Snow looked at Regina, "What do we do with them?"

"Oh, I ransom them to the Southern Isles. Hopefully they have more to trade then dried fish." She weighed the heart in her hand. "This though I think I may send to the new Queen of Arendelle as a gift. I haven't congratulated her on her ascension yet and having his heart in hand seems like the way to keep him from trying to murder anymore young women for their thrones."

Regina put the heart in a box and ignored the look of horror on Hans' face as her knights dragged him away.

That evening there was a small celebration of the day's events and Abigail approached the Queen as she stood under her tree while the party went on inside.

"You saved my life."

"Snow saved your life. I only cleaned up the mess she caused." Regina said dismissively.

"You both saved my life," Abigail wrapped her shawl around her and stood next to the queen. "You are playing a game with her."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Abigail rolled her eyes, "She's in love with you. I am not. I can see the game. You should stop it. You love her and the longer you do this the harder it will be to convince her of that when you want to."

The Queen gave her a long cold stare. Abigail swallowed but didn't back down.

"The affairs of my court are my business."

Abigail nodded, "And the affairs of your bed chamber even more so, Your Majesty. That doesn't make what I said any less true."

She bowed her head and left the garden to return to the party.

That evening Regina called for Snow for the first time in a tenday. As had become her custom Snow had undressed and was standing before the queen's bed when she entered. Vulnerable and ready for whatever the night's intention was.

Regina looked her over but said nothing as she pulled her into a passionate and possessive kiss. As if taking in everything at once she grabbed a handful of her hair and another of her ass before breaking the kiss. Snow smiled shyly at Regina and the queen took her hand and pulled her into her bed.

"My little princess..."

She smiled up at Regina as she play out her hair on the pillow carefully, "My Queen."

"You did a good thing when you saved Princess Abigail."

"And so did you. We make a good team."

"You ... make me feel things that are dangerous Snow. You make me feel weak and I need to have you in ways that make me feel strong." Her hand traveled over Snow's naked body.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"You haven't threatened to kill me in a while. Not today, not tomorrow. I know what that means."

"You know I won't say it."

"I know." She nodded. It. Love. Love was weakness and the admission from Regina was too much to expect. But she was getting more than she could ever expect from Regina and for now she could live without her saying it.

"I want something from you. Have wanted it for a long time but did not want to frighten you. Do you trust me?" Regina was trailing her finger along Snow's breast, circling her nipple.

"Yes..." She breathed out.

"It may be a bit uncomfortable."

"Comfort and your bed seldom come together, Regina."

She smiled down at Snow. "I want you in all the ways a man could have you. So that for the rest of your life there will be nothing to be had of you by a man that I have not had first." She leaned down and kissed her. "You are mine after all and I should have the rights of conquest."

Snow's pulse quicken and she breathed faster. Unsure what to make of that.

"Relax and this won't hurt much at all." Regina's voice was silky and smooth and made Snow believe the lie. Regina pulled Snow's arms gently over her head and the restraints magically appeared to hold them in place. A fine silk scarf appeared and Regina tied it over her eyes, "I don't want you anticipating anything my dear."

What came next was nothing like pain. Instead Regina spent what seemed like forever kissing and stroking her body, every inch of it. She could even feel the Queen kneeling between her legs and the kisses on her inner thighs moved to her clit as Regina ran her tongue along it and used her lips to squeeze and stroke until Snow was thoroughly turned on.

She even gasped a little when Regina finally withdrew. What came next, she knew, as Regina's fingers spread her lower lips apart and eased the head of a large phallus into her. It was not the largest she had ever taken from her, but still considerable. Magically lubricated, Regina began to ease it into her while stroking her hair and whispering to her about how good and strong she was. With the blind fold on it felt like the only thing she felt was the thing impaling her and she wondered if this was what Regina had meant.

If it was she would prove to her that she could take as much as the Queen gave. When the thing was buried to the hilt in her she felt something warm... magic.

"I don't want you loosing that while we have other activities for the evening, my dear."

She realized as she squeezed on the thing that it wouldn't leave her. Not until the Queen removed her spell.

"So quiet. You took that so well, Snow." She whispered again in her ear. "Have you gotten to the point where you need something else though." The whisper was so quiet that Snow barely heard it. "I think you need something besides pleasure now. But don't worry."

Regina rolled her over onto her stomach and Snow realized the restraints were on a swivel. The dildo filling her seemed to feel bigger now as Regina repositioned her, placing a pillow under her and thus putting her ass in the air.

She hadn't even dared whisper to anyone how much the spanking had excited her. she never whispered to anyone what the Queen did to her. Made her feel.

"Are you ready my dear?"

"Ready for what?"

She could almost imagine Regina smiling down at her and not answering. She felt something very cold and slippery push itself into her... other hole and she turned bright red. She hadn't even thought of there. And when the thing ... which felt perhaps an inch and a half wide began pushing into her she let out a long pained groan. Regina kept stroking her hair as she worked. "That's right my dear. I want to make sure no man has a part of you ever that isn't already mine."

She worked slowly, and Snow shifted a bit at the invader that seemed relentless. Unlike with the first one she couldn't stop herself from groaning and even crying. It seemed to get a bit wider as it pushed in until it suddenly narrowed and her abused little hole squeezed around it holding the thing in her.

"I'm not even sure I need to use magic to make sure that stays dear. Your tight little ass isn't letting go of that." Regina laughed and turned her over again. She felt ... full... in a way she couldn't describe with the things in her. She then felt Regina's squeeze her face roughly and her mouth opened. A hard rubber... ball?... pressed between her teeth and was secured. "I like the noises you make but the visual is so lovely my little rebel princess."

Snow realized Regina was right. There was nothing that a man could have of her now that Regina hadn't. Still if she thought the evening was over she was wrong. Regina secured restraints around her feet now and they pulled her body taught.

What came next Snow couldn't figure out at first. Something warm dropped onto her stomach. Hot at first but pleasant before hardening and after a few spaced around her stomach she realized it was wax dripping from a candle.

There was something... almost reassuring about it and she tried to relax despite the thing filling her up.

That was until the first one landed on her nipple. She tried to scream out but the ball gag just made it a muffled noise. "Oh you like that dear?" Regina asked innocently. Instead of moving on to somewhere else now the drips of wax were all around her nipple until the entire sensitive area was covered. Once it was hard she moved to the other, doing the same and now knowing what was coming the noise even gagged was loud and Regina stroked her hair in order to calm her down. The candle was gone but the Queen whispered in her ear, "Your body is mine Snow. All of it in any way I see fit. You are the most beautiful creature to me in all the realms and I am never letting go."

And something, something buried under the shame and the arousal Snow was feeling was joyous at that declaration.


	13. Chapter 13

Regina seemed to relax after that night with Snow. As if finally comfortable that the affair had settled into something of permanence and the next three nights she summoned Snow to sleep in her bead without sex or domination or control but merely as a companion. Twice Snow woke in the morning to the queen awake but laying in the bed with her watching her and playing with her hair.

And the castle servants seemed to warm to her as well, the cook even made a special cinnamon cake that she had loved as a child, which she was all too happy to share with Belle and Abigail, "They like you because of the effect you have on her. She hasn't killed anyone at random for some time."

Snow tilted her head, as if to ask how Abigail would know that, "I asked around. I figured that if I was going to be living in the castle with the Queen I should know how not to get my neck snapped."

Snow wanted to say she wouldn't do that but she wasn't that naive. "I was thinking..." Snow pushed a bit of cake on the plate, "I was thinking of asking her to see if she can help your Frederick."

Abigail looked up and Snow almost regretted saying it, "The Queen is one of the most powerful magic wielders alive, but ... she's not exactly someone people go to for help."

"That ever lived dear."

The voice came from the door as Regina walked in and the three young women stood up. She waved them to sit after she did, and a small slice of cake was brought to her along with warm cider. "Tell me about this Frederick of yours, Princess?"

Abigail looked over at Snow wondering if she should and Snow nodded encouragement. "Frederick was the captain of my father's guard. We were in love and he was about to ask my father for my hand when father was ambushed. Frederick saved his life but touched him..."

"And your true love is somewhere as a solid gold statue." Regina said finally. Her jaw clenched, "True Love's Kiss?"

"Until my lips bled ..." Abigail said ashamed and looked down.

The Queen clenched her jaw, "There are many reasons for True Love's Kiss to fail. Not all of them a statement on the love." Snow raised an eyebrow, it was almost a compliment. "This ... attack happened right before he was going to ask your father for your hand?"

She nodded. Regina seemed about to say something but seemed to decide against it. "Where is your golden knight?"

"We built a shelter over him along the south road near King George's kingdom. My father set two guardsman to stand vigil day and night in his honor."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure."

She waved a hand and suddenly all four of them were standing in the woods facing two of King Midas' guards who drew their swords. Regina waved her hands and they fell to the ground. Alarmed Snow quickly ran to them, "Sleeping not dead." Regina said as she breezed past, examining the golden knight. "Well that explains your kiss. His armor, you were never actually touching him." The Queen walked around him several times, running her hands a few inches from his form. "Your father never really understood that the gold was a curse. For him. For you. For his kingdom. He's so greedy he doesn't understand that there is in fact a consequence to too much gold. And ..."

She snapped her fingers and a shimmering light around the man turned him from gold to the steal of his armor. Abigail rushed forward and took off his helmet to kiss the bewildered young knight.

"... and he's used it to control his daughter for more power." She said quietly and both Snow and Belle looked at her in surprise.

"You mean he..."

"Midas knows his curse. He wears tick clothing to protect those he cares about and his servants. But marrying his only daughter to guard captain doesn't get him anything."

Abigail brought Frederick forward and he was shocked when he saw who was standing there. His hand rested on his sword, "This is Queen Regina. She saved you."

He looked between Abigail and the Evil Queen, "I ... I owe you my thanks, Your Majesty."

"Yes. You do. And you can be my guest along with your Princess until her father relents to my demand that he allow her the freedom of her own marriage."

"You're..."

Abigail just ran her hand through his hair, "I'll explain later."

"Yes, somewhere I'm not in the room for the sweetness." Regina said as she transported them back to her castle and stormed from the room.

Snow touched Abigail's hand and the other woman nodded. "Belle could you help Sir Frederick find quarters and clothes. I'm sure he does not want to live in his armor."

"Of course," Belle said with a smile and Snow chased after Regina.

She found her in a corridor, "That was a nice thing you did."

"Shut up, Snow."

"How did you know Midas had set up the attack?"

"I've met Midas. And I know how men like him thinks. He doesn't see his daughter as a person but as a means to further his own power. He probably even told himself that he was doing what was best for her."

Snow stopped walking. "Like your mother."

"Say another word and I will kill you." Regina announced and she stormed off without another word.

Regina avoided Snow and the little court of nobles that had collected around her for the next several days, not even calling her to her bed chamber at night. Snow decided that she needed to get out of the castle and took Belle with her on a ride out to visit Johanna, bringing with her a parcel of food from the castle cook for the old servant.

Johanna was gardening when she saw the party approached and gave Snow a hug, and greeted Belle but looked at the black knights before motioning both girls inside. She shut the door and closed the window, "Your Highness, I'm so glad you came. There is someone here who needs to speak to you."

From another room flew a small blue fairy, one Snow recognized from the night her mother died, but she remembered she had promised not to speak of that.

"Hello Snow White. It is an honor to meet someone as good and pure of heart as you."

Snow bowed a little as did Belle.

"I am Reul Ghorm, most call me the Blue Fairy, I come with a grave warning for you. The Queen has tricked you, she made herself look like a fairy to lure you into her castle for reasons known only to her. We didn't discover the counterfeit magic until it was too late and she has warded her castle against us."

Snow felt her knees go weak and she actually fell to the floor. The others rushed to her, "She... but..."

"She has played a game with your heart. I am sorry," the fairy said sympathetically and Snow started to cry in Belle's lap.


	14. Chapter 14

Belle road back to the castle alone, and with no degree of fear she immediately requested an audience with the queen, who seemed puzzled. The hostage daughter of the Duke was hardly someone she took much account of beyond someone to keep Snow company.

She inhaled and held out a folded piece of paper to the Queen.

My dearest Queen, I have learned the truth of the night I met the purple fairy. Learned that you lured me into your castle, and I have to assume your bed, through a trick of magic. I should say I am surprised but more I am surprised that I allowed myself to ignore the warning signs. I suppose the pixie dust let me consider a possibility I would never have before. That I was in love with you. And you did what you always do. I've gone to the woods to clear my head and fully expect with the exposure of your plan that the hunt will resume. I beg of you that you do not take out your anger at me on Belle, Abigail and Frederick. They were always only bit players in your game. If someone is to be punished, punish me. I now know that you could. And will. For the rest of my life.

Regina read the letter again and again before it burst into flames in her hand and she turned to the terrified lady who had played messenger of her heart break. Her hand flew out and Belle found herself choking, "Why did you come back?"

She coughed and choked.

"Why?"

"... I... You would have ... my people."

And Regina remembered the deal she had struck with the girl's father and she dropped her hand and Belle bent over double for the sudden rush of air. "Get out of my sight."

Belle nearly ran from the room and Regina locked herself away from her own court so that no one could see her weakness.

Snow was finding her own haunts in the woods, knowing that she had left supplies in some of her old stashes. The revelation of the fairy had made her feel the fool and she was waiting for the terrible news of what happened to her friends. To see the posters return and the hunt to begin again.

But it didn't.

Days went past and there was no swarm of knights, no renewed hunt

Snow found one of her old hiding spots and tried not to think about the Queen just as far away in a palace the Queen tried not to think about her.

Almost a week past before Abigail ventured into the towers where the servants said the Queen worked her diabolical magic before she found Regina standing on a balcony watching the horizon.

"I suppose you can't see her from there."

"Go away, Goldie." Regina growled.

"You look like a woman with a heavy heart. I think I know something about broken hearts," Abigail stayed bravely, knowing she was risking her life but also knowing that she owed the Queen and Snow.

"I'm not in love with the brat. It was a game."

Abigail found a wall to lean against to the side of the balcony and watched the older woman, "Games require two players. Especially the kind you were working. Tell me what your game was."

She didn't really expect the Queen to answer, and she was silent for a very long time before she started to speak, "Years ago I had an encounter with a fairy. She saw me alone in this palace and slipping into darkness and offered to find my true love with pixie dust. She never came back but the encounter stuck in my mind. That the fairies could lead you to the person you were destined to be with. A long time ago... Snow was responsible for breaking my heart so I decided I would make her fall in love with me... I would make her want me in very intimate ways... and then reveal the truth."

"... and destroy her." Abigail said horrified.

"She deserved it." Regina said testily.

"So the fairies did your job for you in the end. They broke her heart..." Abigail stopped midsentence, "Except you couldn't do it could you. You had her in your hand and in your bed and you couldn't do it."

"You are on dangerous ground, Princess."

"You couldn't break her heart because you'd fallen in love with her yourself."

"Do not think fear of your father keeps you alive, Princess."

"You should tell her."

"Tell her what?"

"That you love her."

"Even if I did, which I don't, what would be the point. She'd never believe me."

Abigail tilted her head, "I wouldn't be so sure. The heart is a wonderful lie detector."

"The heart is no such thing. And if you don't leave my presence right now I will show you yours."

Wisely, Abigail bowed her head and left.

The next morning Sir Frederick road out of the castle alone. He was free to come and go as he pleased and he headed towards the north woods and the territory of what had once been the bandit Snow White. He stopped in each village to inquire after her, hoping that he would be trusted as he wasn't one of the Queen's knights but no one had seen her.

Many in fact said they'd have turned her into the Queen if they had. A run away royal whore being less sympathetic than a traumatized princess. Still he kept looking and asking until a red hooded figure blocked his path on the road.

"Why are you searching for Snow White?"

"I need to find her."

"That is not an answer to my question." She drew a bow and pointed it right at his face.

He stood his ground, "My fiancée, Princess Abigail sent me to find her, to tell her the Queen fell for her own game."

"What does that mean?" the hooded figure asked.

He shook his head. "It requires no explanation to a stranger. Snow White will know what it means."

"And you aren't here to take her back?"

"I am not in the Queen's service but my Princess'. I am simply carrying a message, can you bring it to Snow White?"

Red Riding Hood lowered her bow, "The Queen fell for her own game. That's it?"

"That is all she need know to make her own fate."

The dark haired woman debated it for a moment. "Your message will get to her. I make no promises. The Queen has broken her heart."

"I think perhaps that means there are two hearts broken in the kingdom today." Frederick bowed his head, "Thank you."

He turned his horse and road away, back towards the palace hoping the young woman could do what she said.


	15. Chapter 15

Red moved through the woods carefully, looking over her shoulder, but seeing and smelling no one. Finally she ducked her way into the small hideaway smiling and setting her basket down. Snow smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Is everything all right?"

She'd been expecting the massacres to start at any day since she left the Queen. Regina didn't take well to being thwarted. "Everything is mostly peaceful. No one is searching for you." Red hesitated for a moment and took a bit of paper from the basket, a royal proclamation. "The Queen announced that you were traveling among the peasants gathering information on the good of the kingdom and people were to assist you in your duties. That anyone who harmed a hair on your head would face her royal fury."

Snow read the paper, shaking her head, "I don't understand. She's lied before obviously but this is not what I expected. What of my friends?"

"King Midas is still demanding the return of his daughter and condemning the Queen's interference in his rights. But they're all still at the castle. Apparently healthy."

Snow shook her head, "I don't understand what game she is playing. She's been exposed. This should be when the anger and hurting people comes..."

Red looked away, but Snow caught it, "There is something else."

"She's holding a ball in your honor."

"What?!"

"Is it your birthday?" Red asked.

"No... not ..not even close and Regina knows I don't celebrate my birthday."

"Well she's throwing a White Masquerade Ball in your honor. Every young woman and her choice of beau in the kingdom is invited. If I didn't know you and I had a boy I'd go."

Snow shook her head not understanding any of this.

"It's a trap." Red said quietly. "Of course it is." Snow put the paper to the side and pulled out a loaf of bread but still seemed unsure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina stood under her apple tree, her back to the cheery tree that was now thriving next to it in the garden. It was a cold and clear night and she could see the stars in the sky in all their beauty until she noticed a bright blue one.

Her hand flexed, and she turned in the spot. "Show yourself you interfering little moth."

The Blue Fairy flew out of the bushes settling in the air not far from the Queen. "It is not interference to expose an evil witch's lie to an innocent young girl."

"Snow White is no innocent young girl."

"Not after what you have done to her. But that corruption will pass without your feeding it, Regina."

"Your Majesty."

"I don't take orders from you," the old fairy said sternly. "I am not here for you at all. But to free the young man you have trapped."

"Who?" Regina said confused.

"Of course you wouldn't even have thought of the tree behind you. The irony, if Snow used pixie dust tonight it would lead her to this very garden to her destined love. And it wouldn't be you. Snow White is destined for a better story then the one you have written for her." The fairy said smugly as she withdrew her wand in order to free the pauper turned prince from his curse.

But the fairy had underestimated the power of the Queen and she flew her hand up and knocked the fairy back through the air until she hit the apple tree with a thud. Her wand fell to the ground and Regina bent down to pick it up before advancing on the little fairy with fire in her eyes and a mad woman's grin.

"I write my own destiny and so does she. Not some pathetic little fairy grand plan."

She picked up the stunned fairy, giving her a vigorous shake until the last of her fairy dust fell to the ground and a jar appeared in her other hand which she promptly put the fairy in before putting a stopper on. Blue banged her fists against the glass walls ineffectively and the queen smiled.

"I have needed a light in my magical study. I think you'll do nicely and the pretender prince... can stay where he is."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the day of the ball approached Abigail and Belle were still making arrangements, Regina entered her great hall and cringed a little at the decorations but shook her head and went to find the princess. "This is a waste of time. She's never going to come back."

"Maybe." Abigail shrugged after she directed some bunting. "But your instinct for romance and courting is obviously terrible so trust me, Your Majesty."

"I wasn't trying to romance her I was trying to destroy her." Regina grumbled.

"That would be why you have terrible instincts for revenge too but that's a conversation for another day." Abigail said happily, unafraid of any danger from the Queen. Belle, who still remembered being choked took her own work and scurried away to leave the two royals alone.

"Your father is being stubborn," Regina said quietly.

"I had hoped that Frederick's return would settle it," Abigail acknowledged with a frown.

"I think that it is time that you considered that Frederick's return is the last thing he wanted." Regina folded her arms, "You can wait for him to come to his senses or ..."

Abigail raised an eyebrow, "Or..."

"You are unafraid of me."

"Not entirely accurate. You scare me a great deal at times, Your Majesty."

Regina shrugged, "Then you are brave. I could use such a voice as a royal adviser. Your young man is a brave knight and my guards could use a captain."

Abigail was surprised, and blinked, "Are you... you want us to stay here."

"Granted my protection you can marry your love without your father's permission. He can either accept the accomplished fact or not. That is not my concern." Regina said firmly. "I know my court is not perhaps what you imagined..."

Abigail threw her arms around Regina and gave her a hug. The Queen had no idea how to react at first, and her instinct was to push her away and be angry at the presumption. But instead she let it happen and even embraced her back. "Thank you Regina. I'll speak to Frederick ... this is very thoughtful."

"It may result in a war, but unless your father is very stupid I will not take his kingdom from him. I give you my word."

Abigail sobered and nodded. Regina turned to leave, but the Princess added, "She'll come."

Regina paused without turning around, "No she won't. I destroyed that chance of love even before I knew it could exist. She has every right to see me as the monster I am."

"A monster with a heart who loves her."

Regina growled, "Don't push your luck, Abigail."


	16. Chapter 16

A royal ball, open to the kingdom, even if it was the Evil Queen's ball was still something to attend. Abigail had gotten the court yard that had once held them frequently ages ago ready and lit with white lanterns while masked guests danced. Regina made an appearance, but looking around and not seeing who she had hoped she slipped away to the gardens.

Red insisted on coming with Snow in case this was a trap, and behind their own masks all they could see was dancing and frivolity. "I don't think I'd see anything like this in this castle again."

"It was quite something to get the Queen to agree." Snow was startled boy a voice but saw what was clearly Abigail and Frederick, she in a beautiful gown of gold cloth and him in black with gold embroidery. "I'm glad you came."

"I ah..." Snow looked around again.

"She's been lost without you. She keeps saying she doesn't expect you to show but I think in her heart she hoped you might." Abigail said taking her arm in Snow's and Red stayed near them not knowing this woman and still on guard for her friend.

"I don't think you understand ... she ..."

"Was playing a game with you. I know. It was fairly clear as soon as I got here."

Snow shook her head, "Don't make me feel more the fool."

"Snow you are a fool if you don't realize she's in love with you."

"She isn't. You don't understand Regina. She's trying to hurt me."

"Talk to her Snow." Abigail said firmly.

"That's not a good idea," Red countered.

"If you came this far you should talk to her. She's in the gardens." Abigail nodded down a stairwell.

Snow looked at Red and gave her hand a squeeze, "If I don't come back you should get out of here Red."

"Like that's going to happen, Frosty."

Snow shook her head but sighed and headed down to the garden. Regina was sitting under the tree in a beautiful black gown that looked less like a bat and more like the queen in mourning. "It was quite the plan. Let me think it was destiny, lure me into your bed and have me do the most debauched things with you... a little over complicated."

"You weren't for lack of attention in my bed." Regina stiffened and didn't turn around. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I shouldn't have." Snow folded her arms. "The fairies told me about the trap."

"You aren't asking if it's true."

"You aren't denying that it is." Snow countered.

Regina shrugged, "I find it best not to deny the truth when I am accused of evil."

Snow shook her head, "I was in love with you."

Regina flinched but turned around to face her. "You were always sentimental."

"I thought you were in love with me. How could I ever trust you?"

"You trusted me because you wanted to."

"And you certainly made a fool of me." Snow responded angrily. "When were you going to expose it."

"I kept telling myself I'd do it every morning. Tell you what a fool you were, toss you in the dungeons and light you on fire in the court yard by the evening."

"Well that's romantic."

Regina shook her head angrily, "But you... you ... every time I looked into your eyes..."

"If you are going to claim that you were in love with me you will have to say it." Snow raised an eyebrow.

"You know I can't."

"If you don't say it I'll assume this is more of your game."

Regina actually growled, "I look at you and I want to hurt you and I want to comfort you and ... and ..."

"Goodbye Regina."

Snow turned and picked up her skirts to walk up the stairs. But by the time she get to the top Regina appeared there in purple smoke. "I was trying to hurt you and I hurt myself too. I don't know how to say what you want me to say."

Snow looked into her eyes. "Of course you do Regina. You say 'I love you'."

"You... make me ..."

"No," Snow shook her head. "I don't want to hear your messed up ideas about what love makes you. I want you to give me a reason not to walk away from this castle forever."

"Please stay."

Snow was surprised at that. "What?"

"I can't say what you want me to say. But ... I can ask you to stay. I've missed you. I need... I need you."

Snow was conflicted and looked around at the ball behind Regina, and the stars in the sky. "I'll stay the night but I make no promises of the morning."

Regina smirked a little, "Fair." Snow took one of the queen's hands and led her towards the dance floor. "I don't know how ..."

"Sure you do Regina. Nothing a queen does is wrong. Everyone will think you've invented a new step."

And soon enough the floor cleared around them as the Queen in black, and the Princess in white danced together and the entire kingdom could see them. And at least for that night, and that moment, whatever was between them was beautiful.


	17. Chapter 17

Snow was still there the next morning, much to Red's annoyance. Still she came down to breakfast with her friend and Snow introduced her to the small little group that seemed to have gathered around. Abigail, Frederick, Belle...

"I can show you around. It's a big castle with a lot of grounds. Not nearly as confining as you'd think." Belle said cheerfully.

"But the Evil Queen..." Red looked around, "Have you all gone insane?"

Abigail looked at Frederick and then back to their newcomer. "Probably. But to be honest I haven't seen Queen Regina do anything that my father hasn't done."

"Your father massacred villages?"

"No... but when Snow is here neither does she." Abigail shrugged.

"So it's Snow's job to make the monster good?" Red looked over at Snow, "That's not fair to her."

"Of course it isn't," Snow said. "And I don't know that I'm staying."

"What are you waiting for?" Red asked.

"I'd like to know if Regina is capable of love. She once was. But that woman is long gone and I think she's still in there." Snow looked at Red, "You don't have to stay. You shouldn't I can't ask you to risk your life."

"Someone has to stay to remind you that this is crazy." She looked at the small group around the table, "Maybe remind all of you."

Snow sighed, "I don't need to be reminded that staying for a woman who can't even say I love you is a bad idea. That doesn't mean I'm not going to do it."

Snow left them all and elsewhere Regina turned away from the mirror she had been watching and sat back down at the table to look at grain figures. Trying to seem indifferent knowing that the princess was heading her way. Trying to seem like she didn't care when Snow walked in, "Things clearer in the light of day?" Regina said quietly.

"You are just as much the madwoman today as you were last night."

Regina put her fountain pen down and sat back in her chair raising an eyebrow. "I am. The same madwoman."

"You didn't try to have sex with me last night."

"You would have said no."

"I would have. But why didn't you try?"

"Because I don't take rejection well."

Snow folded her arms, "So it's better not to try at all?"

"You are mad today. At yourself for staying."

"I'm mad for falling for you. I'm mad for the fact that I want you to touch me. That I let you ... do those things to me so now all I can think about is being touched like that. You ruined me." Snow said angrily.

"I did. That was the intent." Regina answered calmly. "But it was also... what I needed. Are you leaving now?"

"Would you let me?"

"I... don't know." Regina said quietly.

"Well that's honesty at least."

"I told you I don't take rejection well."

Snow let out a grumble of frustration, "You sat alone in this big castle for years and you didn't send my friends away or lock them up when I left?"

"I..." Regina shrugged, "You won't believe me."

"I want to," Snow turned. "I want to so badly. What did you do to me?"

The Queen shook her head, "I didn't do that to you. That's you. Welcome to my world."

"We're not having sex until I know you aren't playing any games."

"I rather figured we were never having sex again." Regina got up from her chair and turned her back on Snow walking towards the other side of the room.

Something impulsive in Snow closed the distance, grabbing her by the arm and turning Regina so that they faced and kissed her hard on the mouth. Neither romantic nor gentle. "Why do you have to make it so hard. I want to stay and you won't give me a reason."

"I'm not an easy person to love, Snow. You know that." She let the kiss linger, let them stand so close for a moment, before flinging her hand forward and the magical push sent Snow flying back against the wall. "And if you ever touch me like that again Snow... I am the Queen."

Regina stalked towards her and growled, "Think what you want to think of me. Make whatever judgments you want to make. Stay if you want to stay or leave if you want to leave. But don't think you get to control me."

"I don't." Snow said quietly.

"You aren't having dreams of saving the people from me if you just stay and let me take it out on you in bed?"

Snow blushed.

"I thought so," Regina turned to walk away from her.

"I want you to be a better queen because I think you can be, Regina. But I want ... the things I want in your bed because it means you felt something for me. Maybe besides hate." Snow said quietly, "If I can't get your love maybe possession will do."

Snow sighed. "Do you want me to leave?"

"I want a lot of things I will never have, Snow."

"Do you want me to leave?" She repeated.

"You'll be safer if you leave. I need..."

Snow approached her, "I need you to want me like that."

Regina shook her head and smiled, "You won't say it."

"You won't say I love you. We make a good match I think."

The Queen tilted her head, "Be in my bedchamber tonight."

"I told you..."

"You aren't the queen and this isn't your castle Snow. It's best you remember that."

Snow knew she shouldn't. She should stay in her own bed chambers. She should leave. Take her friends and never look back at this place. The one thing she knew she shouldn't do was be where she was. Waiting for Regina.

The Queen entered and a wide unsettling smile crossed her face as she saw Snow. "You said no sex until you got what you wanted."

"I did."

"I wouldn't want you to break that promise." Regina nodded to the bed. "I won't touch you."

"What?" Snow looked confused.

"If you are going to set those rules I'll set mine. My bed. Nothing happens you don't want."

Snow wasn't sure what she was expecting. Punishment. Some semantic game. But when she slipped into the bed the Queen did the same. And they slept next to each other all night and nothing happened.

In the morning Snow realized that this was Regina's way of making a point.

She'd give in eventually. They both would.


	18. Chapter 18

Snow needed to clear her mind and figure out where she stood with Regina. The Queen was being honest with her she thought now, but her refusal to give her reason to stay, and Snow's own inability to leave was insanity and even Snow knew it.

She thought riding would be a help and left that day without taking with her any escort. After all she'd lived running from them for so long she was hardly comfortable with the black knights and she didn't need them to protect her.

That was until the attack happened. She didn't know who they were, but the group of men fought like soldiers not bandits and while she took several of them down they finally got a hold of her, holding her arms behind her back.

"Now this is the kind of prize that should work nicely lads..."

They were laughing until a burst of purple smoke appeared and the Evil Queen in her full glory stood in front of them.

"Let her go."

The men didn't but before they could say anything Regina twisted her hand in the air. The first sickening crack of a neck and the man holding Snow dropped like the dead weight he was. Two more men were dead within short order and another ran only to drop face first into the mud after he died.

The other men dropped to their knees to plead for mercy. Regina looked at Snow. Her riding clothes were torn, and there was blood on her face but her eyes pled for Regina to stop killing. "You owe the Princess your life. You are now a prisoner of the realm and your life forfeit."

She waved her hands and the remaining prisoners, Snow, and her wounded horse were back at the castle. The men dragged off and two servants took Snow inside. She expected Regina to follow her but instead the Queen went with the horse calling for the stablemaster to get the animal healer.

Snow hadn't realized how much blood she lost until she passed out but her last thought was that of course Regina would care more for a horse than for her.

When she came to she was laying in her bed, Red with her arms folded watching suspiciously as the Queen herself was cleaning the wounds. "Be still Snow, you took a hard knock to the head in the fight."

"This was your fault." Red said looking at the Queen suspiciously.

"Learn some manners. I don't keep dogs around that aren't house broken." Regina spat. Once she'd cleaned the blood away Regina ran her hand over the wound inspecting it.

"A snappy retort doesn't change that this was your fault."

"I'm sure in the broader scheme of things it was." Regina said testily. "But Snow was selfish enough not to take guards with her."

"Self... how was it selfish?" Snow asked.

"You don't think that the entire kingdom and my enemies haven't figured out that the way to get to me now is through you? You think you have the right to risk your life recklessly?"

"You ... came."

"Of course I did. You think I don't know where you are always?" Regina wasn't addressing Red's horrified expression or Snow's confusion.

"Who were those men?"

"I don't know yet but I promise you the ones in the dungeon will tell me." Regina got up from where she was sitting and turned to Red, "She sleeps. No one interrupts her until she gets at least half a day's rest. Including you."

Regina stormed towards the door rage incarnate and determined to find out who would dare attack what is hers. Snow tried to sit up to stop her but was in no shape to do that and Red helped her back down. Snow kept mumbling, "She's going to kill them because of me... she's ... all because of me..."

What past for the next few days was activity in and out of the castle, intense discussions that Snow wasn't party to and that Red didn't understand the context of, and Regina keeping her distance while Snow healed. Finally one evening Snow woke to Regina sitting beside her in bed carefully stroking her hair.

"You tortured the prisoners."

"I did." Regina said simply. "You forget my dear, I am the Queen, it is my right."

"My fault..."

"Yes. You getting hurt was your fault. You have no right to endanger yourself that way." Regina said still deeply annoyed. "They were Midas' men. He thought if he took you he could force me to give his daughter back to him."

"But Frederick..."

"It seems Frederick isn't his idea of a good match for his daughter. I still haven't decided if I take his crown from him for the offense. Abigail is devastated. Knowing that your parent wants to deny you the man you love is terrible."

"Regina..." Snow said quietly, "You are like this because of me."

Regina looked down at her still stroking her hair, "Yes I am. You made me the Evil Queen."

"I was ... a child."

Regina smiled, "Don't give yourself all the credit." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "But I won't let anyone take you from me."

The Queen got up from the bed and moved to leave. Just before she got to the door Snow turned her head. "You'll never say it will you?"

"I told you that you want something I cannot give. You will have to decide if that is enough."


	19. Chapter 19

The Queen finished saddling her war horse herself. She never allowed the groomsman to do that for her. Midnight was two hands taller than Rocinante and quite a bit less well tempered much like his mistress. She allowed the stable boys to put a step to help her mount, mostly because the heavy war armor of the Evil Queen was too much to easily mount without assistance.

The army would march as soon as she rode out to their head and it would be the end of King Midas' defiance of her. Her own knights and foot soldiers moved aside as their queen passed the rows of soldiers until she reached the head and saw Snow sitting on a white horse, fine but practical leather armor for a mounted archer. Beside her Princess Abigail, similarly dressed though armed only with a short sword.

"No." Regina said testily.

Snow smiled, "You have a tendency to disregard your own safety, Your Majesty. Consider me a body guard."

"I don't need protection," she said testily. "And I gave you and your fiancé leave so you would not have to oppose your father and king." She added looking at Abigail.

"You are defending my rights, my queen. I won't sit back while my fate is decided by others."

Regina looked at her long and hard before turning her horse towards the castle gate and the army marched. Storm clouds gathered over their heads as they neared King Midas' borders and Snow might have thought that it was an ill omen for their cause until she saw the small ball of purple light in the Queen's hand and she realized that the storm clouds were them.

Part of Snow shifted uncomfortably in her saddle as she looked around and realized that even if she had her reasons and the cause was just she was still marching behind the Evil Queen into battle and counting on dark magic as a weapon.

The Gold King's army was entrenched on a hillside behind strong defensive works and Snow didn't relish the idea of riding against the defenses. She could see out of the corners of her eyes the boys faces under the heavy black armor and across the slow she could imagine the same faces under the gold of the King Midas.

Regina nodded her head to Abigail and they each road forward, alone, Snow hesitated a moment and followed, her bow ready but not drawn. The king, who was mounted in elaborate gold armor rode out to meet them with several knights. His horse strained under the weight of the man and the scavengers instinct in Snow wondered what a rich find this battle field would be after the day's bloodshed.

"Regina. It is twisted to bring my daughter out here ..."

"She didn't bring me father. I came."

Regina remained silent, sitting imperiously on her mount and Snow tried to read her expression as father and daughter faced off against each other.

"She's a witch, Abigail, don't let her poison you against me."

"She is many things, but the person who poisoned me against you was you, Daddy." Abigail faced him. "Call back the army. You have lost this day before it started and you will waste fine men's blood."

"And the Queen will not?"

"I'm already drenched in blood, Midas. What is more to my ledger." Regina said coolly. "If you withdraw today and pay homage I'll let you keep your crown and your castle. If you make me fight your daughter will be Queen earlier than she wishes. Either way I will have homage and you will learn that if you touch what is mine ever again your death will be drawn out and full of indignities."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yours? So the rumors about the defilement of Snow white are true?"

There was a flash in Regina's eyes and her hand flew up, and the king began to choke. Everyone in both parties drew their weapons.

"Disrespect to the princess is disrespect to me. Apologize or the battle begins."

He looked at Abigail who was conflicted, "Father... you won't win this fight."

Regina grinned, "Listen to your daughter. I will drench this land with so much blood nothing but iron root will grow here for generations." The old king choked something out but it was difficult to understand, "What was that?"

"A... apologies."

Regina flipped her hand to the side and Midas fell from his overburdened horse, "While you are down there homage or the slaughter begins."

A fireball lit in the Evil Queen's hand and lightening from the storm clouds she had conjured crackled over head.

"Father... save your crown."

Midas got to his feet and Snow could finally see with fear in his eyes he dropped to a knee. The others in his party did the same. "You always were one for self preservation." She turned to look at Abigail. "The Princesses Abigail and Snow White are under my personal protection. Should either have a hair armed on their heads the violence will make gods quake in fear and demons avert their eyes."

The Queen's voice boomed over the battlefield and Snow realized that it must have been magically amplified. "Princess Abigail will marry in the chapel of my summer palace, and she and her husband will enjoy the honors of my court for as long as you live."

Regina looked down at him and her voice grew quiet, "That is the price for calling Snow a whore. You are lucky I don't make it so that you can never enjoy the services of a real whore ever again."

Regina wheeled her horse around and her party, Snow and Abigail included headed back to the waiting army who were now realizing that their queen had given them a bloodless victory that day. For the first time in her reign the men began to shout her name. Or rather... a new name. "Regina Gloriana!"

The Glorious Queen.

Regina blinked in surprise and slowed her horse for a moment before Snow smiled and road up beside her. "Seems to me that there might be a little love in the people for you after all."

Snow grinned widely and shouted, "Long Live Regina Gloriana!"

The shouts of the army who had marched out to face death that morning and been spared echoed on their march home and people came out of their hovels and villages to see what was going on and many were surprised to find that the Evil Queen had a new name.

She was no less a terrifying figure. No less someone to fear.

When they returned to the castle the celebration shifted away from the queen who had stopped the war to Abigail who dismounted and ran into Frederick's arms announcing that they were to be married. Love being easier to celebrate than darkness Regina slipped from the crowd and allowed the impromptu dancing to focus on the young couple. Snow followed herself and found Regina in her chamber, a ladies maid removing her armor.

Snow nodded to the young girl towards the door and took her place behind Regina, unlacing the queen's armor.

"That was a great thing you did today, Regina."

"I did little."

"You allowed Abigail to stand up for herself with her father."

"Abigail should have the right to decide her own future."

"That's what you are doing now you know. Providing a space for young women to learn to be themselves first." Snow took the armor plate away from her back and chest, leaning in to kiss the back of the Queen's neck. "I can live with the darkness if I can have you being this queen."

"It is the adrenaline of the day, Snow. You don't want this."

"I do." She moved around to look Regina in the eye.

"I am darkness, Snow. Don't be fooled."

"Perhaps... I need a little darkness," and she leaned in to kiss the queen on the mouth with such passion that she might not have heard the softly whispered, "I love you" that escaped the queen's lips in a gasp.


	20. Chapter 20

The court was settling into something like normality even as a royal wedding was being planned for Princess Abigail and Sir Frederick. Regina had named him commander of the castle guard and while there was some grumbling there were immediate effects in the professionalism of the guardsman which was welcome even if it wasn't as far reaching as the kingdom's army as a whole. Still there was a sense of unease around Regina as if the Queen was on edge and when there was word of royal coaches being robbed Regina raged and fumed and even brought her hand up and briefly strangled the man who had failed his duty to guard the royal gold.

She stopped when she saw Snow though, and everyone at court took note of it, after she lowered her hand she stalked off to her private study.

Snow looked around the court and while people were still afraid of the Evil Queen in high anger something had shifted. Something that while she approved of the result she wasn't sure the cause was what she wanted.

Regina was working at the big table in her study ornately carved with light streaming through the windows and from the fire that kept the room warm. It was almost easy to imagine this as a peaceful scene except Snow could feel the anger radiating from the queen.

"You would have killed him. If I wasn't there."

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture," Regina said without looking up.

"Not that I don't mind you not killing him. But ..." Snow said quietly as she moved into the room. "I'd rather you had spared him because you wanted to not because you were afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid," the Queen looked up with fire in her eyes.

"Maybe not fear..." Snow said carefully though fear was exactly what she thought was going on. "Concern. That if you do something like that I'll leave."

"You want me to be a woman I'm not," Regina watched her pace the room without getting up.

Snow fidgeted with her hands, a bit of her screaming at what she was courting here, "I want you to be the good queen I know you were always meant to be but I don't want you to do it because you are afraid that I will leave. I... before ... now ... I'm a little afraid of your darkness."

Regina raised an eyebrow.

"But I also... it excites me." Regina got up from her chair and with the grace of a powerful predator she moved towards Snow. "I don't want to hold your leash."

Regina touched her chin and looked into her eyes for a long moment before the queen smiled. "That's because you like when I bite, Snow White." She leaned in and kissed her neck before giving a nip.

A small gasp that escaped Snow was enough to confirm the statement. "You make me feel alive, Regina."

The Queen smiled again and ran a finger down her cheek. A flick of her hand and Snow's clothing was gone even as Regina walked away from her and sat down. "Prove it to me."

Even with the fire Snow's sudden nakedness sent a chill down her spine. Or perhaps it was the look in Regina's eyes. She walked over to the queen who gestured for her to lay across her lap. With one hand Regina stroked the princess' hair while the other she trailed fingers down Snow's spine. Snow wanted to relax but the anticipating of what might happened made that impossible and she felt like she jumped out of her skin when Regina's hand came flat down on her buttocks. She could feel the heat from the sudden redness.

"What do you say when someone gives you a gift, Snow?"

"Thank you, my queen," Snow said automatically. The submission was rewarded with two more blows, one on each cheek.

"Do you deserve this?" Regina was whispering now.

Snow was quiet and the next blow didn't come immediately. Something dark and needy inside her welled and she whispered, "Yes..."

Regina pet her hair again before ten blows landed in quick succession. She started letting out a yelp after several as she was sensitive to the treatment. And Regina laughed seeing her reaction, "My ... it seemed I did train you well."

The spanking continued until Snow lost count of the blows. There were tears on her red cheeks both turned on and humiliated.

"It would please your queen if you begged, Snow."

"Begged for ... begged for what?"

Regina's fingers reached between her legs and stroked her clit. "You aren't a stupid girl Snow. Not most of the time... and not now."

Snow bit her lip. Regina hadn't touched her like this since before she left... since when she thought Regina was her soul mate and everything seemed to make so much more sense. "Please... Regina. I need you ... inside."

Regina smiled down and Snow could almost feel the queen relaxing. As if that's what she'd needed the entire time. With two fingers she roughly pushed into her and got an angle so that she could pull up and reposition Snow's body with the red and abused buttocks in the air. Regina rotated her hand so that Snow could feel her fingers.

Snow's body practically moved with the queen and Regina started laughing. "Here I was thinking that you could run away again..." She pushed a third finger in and made them as wide as she could being rewarded with a grunt. "You're never leaving. You're mine."

And somewhere in Snow's heart she felt warmth in the possessive words. Because Regina was right.

She might want Regina to be a good queen... but she needed the queen's darkness as much as the queen did.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter introduces Robin Hood, but this is NOT an Outlaw Queen story and will continue to be Snow Queen in nature.

Regina and her party were traveling along the road. Harvest time meant tax time and the recent upheavals in the kingdom had lead to an increase in bandit activity. Regina had teased her princess about it that morning as she readied to ride but the truth was that her presence in the party meant that not only would the tax collecting go smoothly but there was nothing more secure than a royal procession.

The gang of highwaymen who had been robbing nobles along this road were surely not stupid enough to attack the Evil Queen.

The first arrow that few stopped inches from her head as she grasped the shaft in her hand and a number of her guards drew their swords and were cut down by more arrows. Regina meant to throw the arrow away but realized she was frozen in place moving only by the shifting of her horse beneath her.

A group of men came from the woods, all hooded, and one with an iron bar to force open the lock on the carriage.

"Good afternoon m'lady. Sorry about the squid ink, but we rather like our heads and you have a certain reputation." He made a saluting gesture with his hand.

She growled, "Robbing me is supremely stupid, Thief."

"Perhaps but we're in the business of taking from the rich and giving to the poor and I can't think of a better person to donate to the good of her people than the Evil Queen."

The leader of the group looked towards the men pulling the chest out of the carriage. "Move fast the squid ink won't last and I rather think the lady won't be as charming once she can move."

There was fire in her eyes, "What makes you think you'll live the day."

The man smiled, "Mostly that you'll be sleeping most of it."

He took a poach from his belt and Regina recognized the ground poppies.

"I'll have your head."

"Many a corrupt royal has said that, m'lady. And it hasn't happened yet."

He blew the powder in her face and she passed out still atop her horse.

She woke up with the days taxes gone, as well as her jewels. A number of her men were dead around her and for once not at her own hand and she looked around the at the empty woods. The men were long gone.

And she screamed out in rage.

Snow and Belle were teaching Red to read when the Queen appeared in the room in a cloud of purple smoke. The waves of anger coming off her enough to make all three women instinctively step back.

"I'll have that bandit's head."

Snow tilted her head to the side, "Which bandit?"

"The one who just robbed me blind..." Her eyes landed on Snow. "You know who he is don't you?"

Snow was confused, "I'm a little confused Regina."

"You were a bandit you know who that was?"

"Being a bandit doesn't mean I knew all bandits..."

"We'll you'll find this one. If he's not in my dungeon by the next moon I'm going to rip Sherwood Forest to splinters until I find him."

Snow swallowed, the rage not something she'd seen up close.

"And what will you do with him?"

Regina raised an eyebrow, "The question princess, is what will I do to everyone else if you don't find him."

She stormed from the room and the two other women looked at Snow expectantly. Suddenly the reality of being the Evil Queen's closest adviser was heavy in the room. Unless Snow found this thief, potentially at the cost of his life, others would die.

Red looked to Snow. "What are you going to do?"

"What else can I do. Catch a thief."


	22. Chapter 22

The Queen's orders left Snow with a terrible choice. Hunt down the Prince of Thieves or Regina would kill only the gods knew how many people living in Sherwood Forest. Red and Belle saw her off, her bow in hand and prepared to travel rough. The Bandit Princess once again. Red was mad at her but gave her a hug none the less. She looked up to see the cold figure of the Queen at her balcony watching her.

She was not used to being the hunter rather than the hunted and Sherwood wasn't her corner of the forest but a few days in and she was almost feeling herself again. She kept her face hidden in the towns now, not because she was hunted but because she was not and the heir to the Evil Queen wasn't someone she would guess was very popular.

Finding the merry men was harder. It was like chasing a ghost, but she finally found herself following a beautiful dark woman who was bringing gold to poor families in need. Snow began to follow her she thought stealthily as the woman made her way along the forest paths when Snow sensed something very wrong. She turned to retreat herself and found herself face to face with three men, bows drawn as fast as her own. She looked around to find herself at the center of a cross fire. "This was a poorly planned ambush. None of you can fire at me without risking hitting your friends."

The woman shrugged, "You certainly have a point Princess. It was a bit cobbled together but Merry Men rarely miss and you seem want to find us rather than escape us." The woman walked up to her, ignoring the drawn arrow in Snow's bow. "I'm Marian. And what can we do for the Evil Queen?"

"I have to bring Robin Hood to her."

There was laughter, "That's not going to happen, you aren't proving what a good dog you are to your mistress with my husband's scalp."

Snow swallowed, "You don't understand. Unless I bring him to her she'll kill every villager in this forest."

There was anger and hatred on the faces of the Marry Men but Marian looked into Snow's eyes. "Lower your arrow, Princess, we'll figure out how to save the people together."

The men around her hadn't lowered their weapons, and Snow knew she shouldn't, but something in the strong but kind eyes of Marian told her it would be okay. She released the tension in her draw slowly and placed the arrow again in her quiver. Two men moved forward to disarm her but Marian put up her hand, "No Little John. She lowered her weapon and she'll take our peace to talk."

She noded over her shoulder, and Snow raised an eyebrow, "Where are we going?"

"To meet Robin Hood."

They walked for three hours, Snow realized in circles several times to try and keep her from being able to take others back to the location before they arrived at a camp. She remained standing between two of the Merry Men who made her feel like a dwarf while Marian spoke to a bearded man holding a little boy who had apparently recently scraped his knee.

She offered a smile to him but something about that seemed false. Robin Hood handed off his son to another member of their group to mind and he and Marian approached. "It's an honor to meet you Snow White. I'd wondered if we would ever since we graced wanted posters side by side."

He offered a hand and she took it.

"Though now that is different that you are doing the bidding of the Evil Queen."

"Regina's…" Snow caught herself before she said Regina wasn't Evil. It would be a grotesque thing to say in these circumstances. "Complicated."

"A beautiful monster is still a monster." Robin said quietly, "What exactly is her threat."

"If I didn't bring you to her she would lay waste to Sherwood Forest."

"And you believe the threat to be genuine?" Marian asked.

"I try not to underestimate Regina when she's angry. Robbing her carriage was fool-hearty."

"You've done it dozens of times," Robin reminded her.

Snow shrugged, "I was desperate and already a dead woman."

"Very much alive it seems." Robin folded his arms, "Queen Regina is a tyrant. Her people may not be starving as much as others but she's no more fit to lead than any other rich royal."

"She's… I think I can reason with her." Snow ventured carefully.

Robin glanced at Marian.

"You have to let me try. The way to stop the killing is not to try and stop Regina. It is to get Regina to stop herself."

"You have a lot of faith in a mad woman," Robin said with a raised eyebrow.

"It takes a bit of madness to understand her."

The two leaders of the Merry Men looked skeptical and Snow knew she had an impossible task to convince them of the humanity of the tyrant. Something she well understood as her own mind was turning over how she would appeal to that humanity herself.

The next morning the Merry Men were packing up their camp to move. Marian brought Snow some porridge and an apology, "I'm afraid we can't trust you. We'll let you go a days hike from the nearest town. By the time you get back to your Queen it will be too late to find us."

"Optimistic." A low voice said from behind Marian and the Evil Queen stood, a shock of color in her red dress and ostentatious hat against the earth tones of the Merry Men. They were drawing their weapons and Regina sneared contemptuously. Snow held up her hands, "Please lower them. You wont be able to hurt her."

"Where is Robin Hood?" The Queen said in a low growl that Snow knew all too well.

Marian stepped forward, "I'm Robin Hood."

Regina raised an eyebrow, "You certainly have a lot less facial hair than Nottingham's wanted poster."

"Having the right image is a powerful tool."

"On that we agree. Whoever you are." Regina looked past her to Snow, "Have they treated you acceptably."

"Regina please…" Snow began but was cut off as Marian began to choke.

Robin rushed forward and there was a snarl on her face that Snow remembered hunting her nightmares, a fireball formed in Regina's free hand before a little boy ran towards his parents and both Robin and Marian (though her more softly through gasps) told him to stay back.

The intervention though of the little boy made the Evil Queen pause. She dropped her hand and Marian was free, who moved to shield both her husband and son from the mad sorceress. Snow moved forward, with all the courage she could muster herself knowing that approaching Regina in this mood may not end well even for her, "Strength comes in knowing when to show mercy, your majesty."

No one was sure what the Queen would do in the next few moments until her hand closed around the fireball. "You fancy yourself champion of the masses, tell me how you spent my money thief. Be honest but prey it was worth it and perhaps I will show you and your wretched little band mercy."

Snow smiled, just a little, but Robin stepped forward, "The people in Sherwood are starving. The grain yield was poor this year but the Sheriff and the prince haven't lowered the tax rate."

"So you rob me to pay his taxes?"

"The people here are poor enough that robbing Prince John's tax carriages wouldn't yield enough money to keep people in bread for the winter." Robin shrugged, "Yours is a prosperous kingdom and if I kept you from buying another barrel of eye of newt I'm not going to apologize for the trade off."

Snow winced but Regina laughed. It was a sound as unnerving as anything else could have been at that moment. The little boy poked his head around his mother's protective arm and Regina smiled at him. "Well you are clearly not spending money on luxuries here."

She looked around and than back at the young child, with a poof of purple smoke a stuffed bear appeared in her hand. "For your son. Next time your people are starving come to my court and discuss the matter of aid. Steal from me again," Regina said quietly looking right into the eyes of Robin Hood, "And I'll do far worse than kill you."

She moved her hand up and both both she and Snow were enveloped in purple smoke. They were standing in the Queen's chambers back at the Winter Palace and it took Snow a moment to realize what had happened. When she did she launched herself into Regina's arms, "Thank you…."

"John always was an idiot." She grumbled, "That was politics, not mercy."

Snow smiled, knowing better, "Of course it was."

And somewhere far away new stories were beginning to spread. Of the terrible sorceress queen's mercy as well as her terror.


	23. Chapter 23

There was a lightness in the castle that there hadn't been in Snow's memory since before her mother died. The Queen was dangerous and deadly all knew, but the presence of the princess had changed her, made being around her more predictable. The end of the obsessive hunt for Snow also meant that Regina focused more on governing her kingdom.

Snow did not attend every court session, and in particular she stayed away on days that it was the Queen's Justice—when criminals and bandits were brought before her for the judgment of the crown. Snow knew, for she had learned it at the hand of her father that a King (or a Queen) must deal with such things with a firm hand—and Regina's was certainly firmer than her father's—but she couldn't interfere. And she couldn't watch as Regina handed down death sentences. Or worse death at her own hand which Snow knew was still happening but she didn't want to see.

Still something drew her to the darkness. There was something fascinating about the depth of the pools behind Regina's eyes and as much as she wanted to save her from it Snow also wanted to fall into them herself.

It was evening, and Snow slipped away from the evening meal with the others, Regina rarely ate with them anyway. She found her way to the library where Regina was looking over a large map of the kingdom and their neighbors.

"I heard there is to be a hanging tomorrow." Snow said from the doorway.

"Here to talk me out of it? This time you won't."

"I don't want to." Snow said quietly. "Well I do and … I don't."

Regina raised an eyebrow, "I think that rises contradictory to a new level, Snow, even for you."

Snow moved into the room, holding her hands in front of her. "Is it wrong to …. Like the darkness?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Of course it is." She moved around the table. "And here I thought you were proud of yourself that you were winning. In this little battle you are waging with mine."

Snow was caught off guard, "Yes, I mean I'm proud of you… I …."

The Queen approached and ran the back of her knuckles along Snow's cheek before grabbing her face and holding it still to look in her eyes. Snow stared back into the darkness and the rush of fear and excitement moved through her.

"Oh how that must disturb you. You're excited by the prospect of me hanging a man." Regina laughed. It was the unpleasant laugh without the fear and conflict of a lot of their most recent conversations.

"No…"

Regina moved her wrist and ropes appeared from nowhere winding their way around Snow's wrists like they were alive. She instinctively fought and Regina smiled as her hands were captured and pulled behind her back and the ropes wound their way around her arms binding them tightly together below the elbows forcing Snow's chest forward. "I think we're going to have the truth tonight, my dear."

Regina prowled around her enjoying the view as Snow struggled in the magical bonds she had no hope of freeing herself from. Another wave of the Queen's hands and her dress was gone. In fact all of her clothing except her corset. Regina stood behind her and all Snow could focus on was her breathing as she felt Regina untie the end of the laces. She expected her to remove the garment herself until she inhaled sharply feeling the tug. Regina wasn't loosening them but pulling the leather laces tighter. She could still breath but not nearly as deeply as before and when Regina circled back around she had the distinct feeling that was as much the purpose as forcing her breasts to become more pert and her cleavage bigger. "Much better. So much less the pure princess you pretend to be so well."

Regina held her hand up and in the purple smoke appeared a riding crop. The Queen used it to tilt Snow's chin up a bit. "You've missed the darkness."

"Regina you are more than a butcher."

"More yes. But I am a butcher." With a hand stronger than one might expect placed in the center of Snow's back she pushed her over. Snow landed, much to her surprise on a pile of pillows that had materialized but they were firm and not designed for comfort.

Regina ran the riding crop along Snow's lower back before delivering the first blow across her buttocks. "Lying was never a good quality of yours, Snow. And you are going to be punished for that lie."

Regina delivered the next three blows in a crisscross first one way against the welt from the first blow and then the other. Snow yelped and the Queen leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Feel free to scream dear. This castle doesn't feel right when there isn't the sound of screaming echoing somewhere in its halls."

The coldness in Regina's voice was at once terrifying and strangely comforting. Snow bit her lower lip and when the next blow came she screamed. Regina laughed and with each new blow Snow's ass was read with the angry marks and the pain made Snow feel alive.

There was a pause in the blows and Snow expected more at any moment. Instead Regina moved to stand over her. "You miss the Evil Queen."

Snow knew the answer. She knew it before she sought Regina out that evening. But something stubborn in her shook her head. She expected another blow which didn't come. Or anger from the queen which didn't come either. Instead there was a smirk. Regina moved behind her again and Snow felt what she knew were two fingers, slender and long, crackling with magical power moving along her clit. Regina was spreading some sort of cream. It was cool at first, but within moments it became painfully cold. Like the first time she had gone to sleep in the forest and snow had fell during the night. She shivered.

"I'm not interested in your orgasm for the moment dear."

She said it just as Regina pushed her two fingers deep into her spreading the cream inside her as well, turning her hand and using her fingers to spread liberally inside her with no effort at all at gentleness. Snow was gasping when Regina withdrew her fingers but what came next she wasn't prepared for as a large phallus pushed into her spreading the cream deeper and giving her the sensation it was made of ice.

Regina ran a finger along her chin. "Miss me yet?"

The pit in Snow's stomach reminded her of the first night they were together and she found herself nodding.

Regina laughed, "You need the Evil Queen. You made her and you aren't about to let her go are you my dear."

The Queen leaned down and gave her forehead a kiss.

Snow realized that somewhere in this magic Regina's skirts were gone and she was looking up at her already wet sex. The Queen raised an eyebrow as if to see if Snow knew what she was to do. Snow awkwardly turned over so that her head was laying on the cushion that had assisted in presenting her backside for abuse. The Queen flourished the long split skirt she was still wearing and sat, a queen on her throne, as Snow White began to move her tongue along the Queen's sex, exploring at first before closing her lips around the Queen's clitoris and she began serving her.

Regina gasped and smiled, and muffled under her Snow could hear her, "You missed the Evil Queen. And so have I, my little princess."


End file.
